Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, November 22) —The Commission on Elections (Comelec) has moved the deadline for the submission of bid documents for the 2025 automated election system (AES) to Dec. 12.
\”The SBAC (Special Bids and Awards Committee) postponed the submission of the bid documents. Instead of November 28, ginawa po itong [It moved to] December 12, to give everybody, all the possible suppliers to prepare all their documents and submit to the Comelec,\” Chairman George Garcia said in a media briefing on Wednesday.
This is the second postponement as the original deadline for the submission of bids was set for Nov. 20 before being moved to Nov. 28.
The poll chief said pushing back the deadline for bids will also give the en banc more time to resolve the disqualification petition filed against prospective bidder Smartmatic.
\”At the same time para magkaroon muna hopefully ang Comelec ng resolution doon sa controversy surrounding a particular supplier,\” Garcia said. \” Para lang po matapos na yung issue na yan. Para maging dirediretso yung procurement process.\”
[Translation: At the same time, we are also hoping to have a resolution regarding the controversy surrounding a particular supplier. So that we can end this issue and so that the procurement process will proceed smoothly.]
The voting technology firm participated in the pre-bid conference on Nov. 13 and purchased bidding documents.
The SBAC also issued a supplemental bid bulletin announcing the resetting of the scheduled submission, receipt and opening of bids from Nov. 28 to Dec. 12.
The venue for submission and receipt of bids will still be at the SBAC Secretariat Office at the Far East Managers and Investors Incorporated (FEMII) Building at 9 a.m.
The opening of bids will take place at the Bureau of Treasury Conventional Hall at the Palacio del Gobernador at 10:30 am.
Comelec en banc reviewing draft resolution on Smartmatic disqualification petition
Garcia said the Comelec en banc also discussed in an executive session on Wednesday morning the petition for disqualification against voting technology firm Smartmatic.
The petition seeks to review the qualifications of Smartmatic and possibly disqualify them from participating in the bidding for the 2025 AES.
It was filed in June by former acting Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) secretary Eliseo Rio, former Comelec commissioner Augusto ‘Gus’ Lagman, Franklin Ysaac and Leonardo Odoño.
Garcia said the en banc is studying the draft resolution before they proceed to vote on the matter. He admitted he already has a vote, but refused to reveal it to avoid influencing the en banc.
\”Nobody controls the decision of the entire en banc,\” he said. \” It should be based on discussion and appreciation of the facts and laws applicable.\”
Seven members of the en banc, composed of six commissioners and one chairperson, will vote.
Garcia appealed to the public to understand why they are taking their time to carefully study the matter before releasing a resolution.
He earlier said they will release the decision on the case by Nov. 22.
\”Kung ano man yung [whatever the] desisyon ng Comelec, this will practically lay down whatever is the roadmap of the commission in the succeeding election… in the final analysis, someone will go to the Supreme Court to question the legality of the decision,\” Garcia noted.
The poll chief reminded those involved in the petition to observe the sub judice rule or \”under a judge\” rule, which prevents individuals from discussing merits of the case while there is no resolution.
