US not pressuring Comelec on VRIS

The Commission on Elections (Comelec) said yesterday it does not feel pressured by the US government in connection with the reported delay of the Voter’s Registration and Identification System (VRIS), a poll modernization project awarded to a consortium involving several American companies.

"No, we do not feel pressured," Comelec chairman Alfredo Benipayo told reporters when asked about a US Embassy letter seeking explanations about the delay.

Benipayo said the letter, sent to him by US Embassy charge d’ affaires Michael Malinowski, was not strongly worded and was just an inquiry into the developments of the project.

The Comelec chief explained that it is normal procedure for American companies to contact their embassy in Manila and report the status of their investments in the country.

Four companies – Headstrong, IBM, Polaroid and Unisys – are involved with Philippine company Photokina Marketing in the VRIS project.

Benipayo said he has yet to respond to the letter.

Copies of Malinowski’s letter have been submitted to Trade and Industry Secretary Manuel Roxas II and Executive Secretary Alberto Romulo. Benipayo said administration officials have yet to talk to him about the matter.

Earlier, the Comelec said pursuit of the P6.5-billion VRIS was being hampered by the lack of funds. Poll body officials recently met with executives of consortium Photokina, which won the bid for the VRIS project last year.

The Comelec en banc, led by Benipayo, agreed to schedule another meeting with Photokina in September to allow the consortium to make a thorough presentation of how the system works.

The VRIS provides a comprehensive and integrated solution for voter registration, including the computerization of the voter’s list. A secure voter ID card, which will serve as tangible proof of the clean voters’ list, shall be issued to some 35 million voters.

The Photokina consortium was awarded the project after garnering the highest technical score and submitting the lowest price of P6 billion. It outbid its closest rival by more than P500 million.

However, former Comelec chairman Harriet Demetriou, prior to the end of her term in January, canceled the project because of legal, technical and financial matters.

However, Photokina said it has already answered all issues "in black and white" during Demetriou’s term.