Comelec bids and awards committee members to be sequestered

MANILA, Philippines - Members of the Commission on Elections’ special bidding and awards committee (SBAC) will be sequestered after they open on Monday the bids for the P11.3-billion automation contract, the poll body said yesterday.

Comelec spokesman James Jimenez said they would remain sequestered until the contract for automation machines for next year’s elections has been awarded to the winning bidder.

“The decision to purposely keep its SBAC from public view proves that the Comelec is dead serious in shielding its people from any wrongdoing with regard to the automation project,” he said.

Sequestration means that SBAC members would be kept at an undisclosed place to prevent their choice of the winning bidder from being influenced.

This is meant to ensure integrity and transparency in the poll automation procurement process.

The SBAC is comprised of Comelec Law Department Director Ferdinand Rafanan as chairman; Adolfo Ibañez, vice chairman; and members Ray Doma, Divina Blas-Perez and Aida Fernandez.

Jimenez said the Office 0f the Ombudsman has assured the Comelec that it intends to help monitor and ensure transparency in the electoral automation procurement contract.

Ombudsman Merceditas Gutierrez created “Task Force Poll Automation” last April 22 to assist the Comelec in observing the entire bidding process up to the awarding of the contract, he added.

Meanwhile, former Akbayan party-list representative Loretta Rosales said the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) must diligently monitor the 10 firms vying to win the electoral automation contract.

The bidding must pass through the NEDA’s “fine tooth comb” scrutiny, she added.

Rosales said that NEDA’s own rules stipulate that government projects exceeding $5 million should be subjected to audit.

“The project is definitely worth more than $5 million, so I’d like to know if the NEDA has done due diligence on the feasibility studies of the bidders and also if they have checked out the background of these companies,” she said. — Sheila Crisostomo, Rainier Allan Ronda