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| Vice President Leni Robredo / photo from Manila Bulletin |
Vice President Leni Robredo calls on to be cautious about the proposal to blacklist Smartmatic, the technology provider in the country's automated elections.
Robredo said on Sunday that the Commission on Elections
(Comelec) should be allowed to give explanation before the politicians
with disputes on poll results.
“Huwag nating sabihin na porket natalo iyong mga kandidato
natin, nadaya. Pa-explain-in muna natin. Kung acceptable sa atin iyong
explanation, eh ‘di iyon na iyon. Kapag hindi sa atin acceptable, doon tayo
magreklamo,” the Vice President said on her radio show, Biserbisyong Leni.
“Kaya tinatanong ko, Ka Ely, iyong mga nakakaintindi:
Posible ba na magkaroon ng dayaan sa isang automated elections? Kung ano iyong
mga kaduda-duda para sa atin, bigyan natin ng pagkakataon iyong Comelec
magbigay ng pahayag. Pero huwag padalos-dalos kasi hindi din makakatulong sa
ating lahat,” she said.
Facing the Filipino community in Tokyo during his four-day
visit, President Rodrigo Duterte urged the Comelec to get rid of the Smartmatic
and look for a new one "that is free from fraud."
“Dispose of that Smartmatic and look for a new one that is
free of fraud. Kasi ang liberal, sabi nila nadaya sila. Ako sabi nila nadaya
rin. It’s creating an environment of hostile attitude,” he said
In the recent midterm elections, there were reportedly a total
of 961 VCMs malfunctioned while 1,665 Secure Digital Cards of VCMs were
corrupted.
The Comelec has attributed this to suppliers of SD cards,
ballot paper and marker differing from Smartmatic, thus the non-synchronization
of the pieces.
However, even after the President’s advice to ditch
Smartmatic, Comelec said it will not be banned in any future bidding.
"We need a legal basis to ban any supplier or provider for any future election," said Comelec spokesperson James Jimenez at a press briefing.
Source: Politiko, GMA News
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