Retirement of 3 Comelec execs won’t affect 2016 poll preparations

MANILA, Philippines - Preparations for the 2016 elections will not be affected by the retirement of three officials of the Commission on Elections in February 2015, Comelec spokesman James Jimenez said yesterday. 

In an interview, Jimenez said Chairman Sixto Brillantes Jr. and Commissioners Lucenito Tagle and Elias Yusoph are not involved in the preparations, particularly those pertaining to biddings.

  “The steering committee is taking a lead on this. The three outgoing commissioners are there only for guidance but in terms of actions on the ground and decision-making, the recommendations of the steering committee weigh heavily,” he said. 

Jimenez added Brillantes wanted that he and other retiring officials were not involved in the selection of the automated election system for 2016. 

Two bidders – Smartmatic-Total Information Management Corp. and Indra Sistemas – are competing for the P2.5-billion contract to supply some 23,000 optical mark reader machines.  

The bidders will undergo screening for legal, technical and financial requirements administered by the Comelec bids and awards committee.