MANILA – President Rodrigo Duterte ordered the Commission on Elections (Comelec) to replace Smartmatic as contractor of the automated elections in the Philippines.
In a speech before the Filipino community in Tokyo, Japan on Thursday, Duterte said he preferred to have another automated polls contractor in time for the 2022 national elections.
“I would like to advise Comelec now. Dispose of that Smartmatic and look for a new one that is free of fraud,” Duterte said. “Ang Liberal (Party) sabi nila nadaya sila. Ako sabi nila nadaya rin.”
“It’s creating an environment of hostile attitude against that Smartmatic. Ayoko naman mag-attribute ng corruption. Kasi pabalik-balik na ‘yan bakit pa sige Smartmatic na hindi naman nagbibilang tapos nasisira,” he added.
Duterte said he planned on making the announcement during his 4th State of the Nation Address (SONA) in July but opted to mention it after an overseas Filipino worker in Tokyo asked about it.
“I was reserving that for the SONA. I will tell the Comelec, pero sabihin ko talaga sa kanila,” Duterte said. “I will assure you, I will bring this matter before the nation. At sabihin ko sa kanila stop it, because you are creating a problem na puputok talaga.”
“If you use that in the next election three years from now I don’t know what will happen. Something has got to give. Improve on the systems. Stop using Smartmatic,” he added.
Comelec drew flak during the 2019 midterm polls after hundreds of vote counting machines encountered glitches and real-time elections results were delayed for seven hours due to technical difficulty.
Venezuela-based Smartmatic was the poll technology provider since the Philippines’ first nationwide automated elections in 2010.
The Philippines holds general elections every three years. /PN
