Namfrel: Comelec exercised due diligence in approving Miru Systems

The Commision on Elections (Comelec) used due diligence in awarding the vote counting machine contract for the 2025 polls to South Korean firm Miru Systems amid some issues raised by observers, an election watchdog said Friday.

National Citizens’ Movement for Free Elections (Namfrel) secretary-general Eric Jude Alvia told Dobol B TV in an interview that the technical committee and observers raised issues against Miru which were looked into by the poll body. 

“Sa tingin ko, gumawa rin naman ng due diligence ang Comelec kasi iyong mga iba-ibang miyembro ng technical committee pati iyong mga observers maraming ni-raise na issues laban dito sa Miru dahil sa mga balita na sinasabi na hindi maganda yung performance niya sa mga ilang bansa kung saan siya nag-operate,” he said.

(I think that the COMELEC also did due diligence because the various members of the technical committee as well as the observers raised many issues against Miru due to reports that it did not perform well in the countries where it has operated.)

“Pero noong in-assess naman ng Comelec at tinanong doon sa election management body ng mga bansang ito hindi naman totoo,” he added.

(But when the Comelec assessed and asked the election management bodies of these countries, these reports turned out to be false.)

The Comelec announced on Thursday that the contract for the lease of an automated election system for the 2025 elections will be given to Miru Systems.

Lawmakers, election watchdogs, and other groups earlier expressed concern and called on the Comelec to stay vigilant and review Miru’s track record as they cited recent “catastrophic failures” and “questioned” projects in Iraq and Democratic Republic of Congo.

Miru Systems, however, belied claims of election failures in Iraq and the Democratic Republic of the Congo resulting from the use of its technology.

“The allegations of election failures due to Miru’s technology are false, as the company designs, develops, and manufactures secure electoral systems that are of international standard,” Miru said in a statement.

Improved transparency

Meanwhile, Namfrel also lauded the improved transparency in the automated election system for the 2025 polls as political parties, citizens’ arm, and media will receive results directly from the machine without a transparency server.

This was emphasized by Comelec spokesperson John Rex Laudiangco in a separate interview on Dobol B TV.

“Unang-una, ‘yung ating transparency, audit, and count kasi po itong makina na bago may malaking screen kung saan pagboto niyo pa lang po ay makikita niyo na sa screen kung ano po ‘yung pagkakabasa ng makina sa balota niyo,” he said.

(First, the transparency, audit, and count because this new machine has a big screen where as soon as you vote, you will see on the screen what the machine reads in your ballot.)

With the P17.9 billion bid of Miru, Laudiangco said Comelec saved around P800 million from its P18.8 billion budget.

Comelec said it is also planning to lease around 110,000 machines and peripherals including ballot boxes, laptops, and other printing requirements for the 2025 elections.

Miru is offering its machines for around P149,000 each.

Comelec chairperson George Garcia earlier said that if ever the contract is awarded to Miru, they will proceed with the contract negotiations. —Joviland Rita/ VAL, GMA Integrated News