MANILA, Jan 8 (PNA) — Smartmatic, the service-provider of the 2010 and 2014 national and local polls, is not threatened by the plan of its competitor to stop it from proceeding with the project to diagnose the Precinct Count Optical Scan (PCOS) machines of the Commission on Elections (Comelec).
“While we do not begrudge anyone the right to express their opposition to the contract, we trust the Courts will once again uphold the wisdom of the Comelec to award the mission – critical task of maintaining the PCOS machines to its the rightful manufacturer and the only legitimate source of original spare parts,” Smartmatic – Asia Pacific President Cesar Flores said in a statement.
Flores said that they have conquered such obstacles in the past.
“They have tried again and again, and have failed to derail automation. Smartmatic’s contracts have been upheld as legal and binding by the Supreme Court twice,” Flores said.
The Smartmatic-TIM official added, “Beyond their speculations, these groups have failed to prove any one of their far-fetched accusations and the fact remains that the 2010 and 2013 automated elections were transparent and accurate.” said Flores.
The Comelec en banc has tapped Smartmatic-TIM to diagnose the voting machines. The project is the first phase of the refurbishing contract.
Earlier, the Citizens for Clean and Credible Elections (C3E) said they were set to ask the Supreme Court to stop the Comelec from tapping Smartmatic-TIM from diagnosing the PCOS machines.(PNA)