KMU sees ‘disaster polls’ in inked automation deal

Labor center Kilusang Mayo Uno tagged the signed poll automation deal between the Commission on Elections (Comelec) and Smartmatic-TIM Corp. as portent of another fraud-ridden election amid sidestepped issues on corporate misunderstanding and bidding controversy.

KMU said that it is reasonable to suspect that the automated election system would be subject to fraud and cheating based on Comelec’s handling of the controversy and the automation partners’ refusal to discuss their differences.

“How can we trust the Comelec and the automation firms if they simply hid the dispute from public’s view and abruptly went into a done deal worth billions of people’s money? Clearly, the automation deal was inked with stains of unresolved controversies, hinting a disaster election in 2010,” said KMU Chairperson Elmer “Bong” Labog.

“People could not help but be suspicious since the corporations involved have gotten into an early controversy that is still not fully disclosed to the public. Besides, Arroyo’s hand in the bidding process remains a subject that should be investigated even if the deal was already struck,” added Labog.

Labog, citing studies by the Center for People Empowerment and Governance (CenPeg), said the poll automation would deprive the people of their right to know how their votes will be counted, as counting will take place through the machines with minimal human intervention.

Waste of people’s money

Labog also criticized the price of the automation deal at P7.2 billion, saying that renting 82,000 machines for a nationwide poll automation is “a waste of people’ money, considering Comelec’s incompetence based on the conduct of the ARMM automated election and the varied conditions and inadequacies faced by the provinces in the country.”

“Any government with a sane mind will not embark on full-blown automation in a country with grave technologial deficiencies in the countryside. Some areas do not even have electricity. What is definite at this point is that automation firms will earn billions, while Gloria may use the possible failure of elections as a step to declare a state of emergency that will perpetuate herself in power,” said Labog.

Intensify vigilance

KMU also called on the workers and people to keep an eye on Arroyo’s moves regarding poll automation, as it would also define the prospects of Arroyo in power beyond 2010.
 “While we remain vigilant to the moves of the Arroyo regime to advance Con-Ass, we should be equally vigilant on issues related to poll automation. At this point, Gloria Arroyo cannot be trusted anymore, even as she postures to support a clean and honest election in 2010.” ###