Guia not involved in deal — Demetriou

Former Commission on Elections chairwoman Harriet Demetriou said yesterday she never categorically stated that either ousted President Joseph Estrada or his mistress Guia Gomez were involved in the transaction of the Comelec for its poll computerization program.

"I have no proof or record whatsoever linking the participation of either President Joseph Ejercito Estrada or Ms. Guia Gomez in the VRIS project," De-metriou said in a letter to The STAR.

A dismayed Demetriou recalled telling the paper’s reporter last Saturday, in front of another Comelec official, that the alleged link between Gomez and the Comelec’s computerization program was just a rumor.

"In the presence of Ms. Rachel Fortuno, the Comelec’s information officer, I told (the reporter) that those are merely rumors and I can only testify on the basis of the legal documents concerning the two (2) projects –the VRIS and ACCORS projects," she said.

She was referring to the Voters Registration and Identification System and the Automated Counting and Consolidation of Results System, meant to be put in place for the May elections.

"What I told him is that I am willing to testify on the legal status of the two said projects on the basis of my findings or thorough review of all the pertinent documents relative thereto and which are in my possession as then chairman of the Comelec," she wrote.

She said she has never met or seen Gomez to discuss the VRIS project "or any other transaction for that matter pending before the Commission. And this I have been consistently telling the public all the time."

Demetriou, whose term ended last Feb. 2, also said that she never planned to rally Comelec employees to condemn the alleged move of the four remaining commissioners Luzviminda Tancangco, Ralph Lantion, Mehol Sadain and Rufino Javier to wrest control of the commission.

She was only informed about the planned rally by lawyer Josefina de la Cruz in a three-way phone conversation that included the reporter.

"I was only told by Attorney Josefina de la Cruz over the phone whom Mr. Araneta also spoke to over the same telephone conversation that the Comelec personnel were preparing to hold a rally in case a reshuffling of the directors would be effected," she said in her letter.

She also clarified that Sadain, contrary to reports that the four voted as a clique, actually sided with her in objecting to the draft VRIS contract with Photokina.

In a statement, Sadain said: "Former Chairman Demetriou raised several legal issues against the draft contract, in the same manner that I also raised legal issues, particularly on the lack of appropriation for a contract of P1.9 billion."

This, Sadain said, made him refuse to sign the contract.

He also denied that there was a "rift" between Demetriou and the two other retired commissioners on one hand, and the four remaining commissioners in the other.

"At this very critical juncture in the preparation for the May 2001 elections, this is not a time to be having rifts in the commission," he said.

Demetriou disputed Sadain’s statement that there was no signed VRIS contract.

She said during an executive session while Commissioner Javier was abroad, the commissioners who signed the draft contract explained their act of signing it was only for purposes of securing a Notice of Cash Allocation from the Department of Budget and Management.

But she acknowledged that no formal contract has yet been signed by the four remaining commissioners.

In her press statement issued Feb. 3, Demetriou said she does not know what Mark Jimenez will testify on regarding the Comelec’s modernization program.

The documents she will be submitting to the Department of Justice, she said, include copies of the bids, evaluation and award papers, Comelec resolutions and memoranda, as well as the draft contract with Photokina, whose vice president is Eric Noora and not Naru as earlier reported.

She said the documents are for Justice Secretary Hernando Perez’s independent study and evaluation, and that he is free to subpoena other documents in the possession of Tancangco, who is chairman of the Comelec’s modernization program and of the bids, evaluation and award committees.

Demetriou rulings under study

Poll computerization and other so-called "dead" programs of the Comelec may soon be resurrected.

The four remaining members of the Comelec, led by acting chairman Javier, have at the same time opted to review all resolutions issued under the administration of the newly retired Demetriou.

A senior official of the poll body, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the four had a special meeting yesterday and agreed to review Demetriou’s rulings.

"A special meeting was held to check on the status of the resolutions issued previously and on the matter concerning the modernization, the en banc decided to put everything under study," said the official.

Among the programs the four will review are the controversial VRIS, the ACCORS, the possible conduct of special general voters registration, and an extension of the filing of certificates of candidacy.

Earlier, Demetriou junked the VRIS and ACCORS projects due to lack of funds as well as alleged irregularities in the bidding of the multi-billion peso programs.

According to Tancangco, the remaining commissioners can still meet en banc to finally resolve the issues left pending by the retirement of Demetriou and commissioners Julio Desamito and Teresita DyLiaco Flores.

In a radio interview, Tancangco admitted that the four remaining commissioners opted to boycott the last en banc sessions presided by Flores.

"The four commissioners are disappointed with Demetriou’s decisions, particularly the designation of Flores as presiding officer," Tancangco said. – Mayen Jaymalin