Wrong ink prompts Comelec to buy UV lamps for P30 million

MANILA, Philippines – The Commission on Elections (Comelec) would have to spend approximately P30 million to purchase portable UV lamps after the ultraviolet ink readers of the precinct count optical scan (PCOS) machines were turned off.

Comelec Commissioner Gregorio Larrazabal said bidding had already been initiated for the purchase of some 80,000 hand-held UV lamps to be used on election day.

Larrazabal noted that the bidders are still undergoing post-qualification screening but bidding might be completed in about a week.

The automatic verification system of the PCOS units had been shut off after failing to read the UV ink used in the ballots as a security marking.

Because of this, the Comelec will instruct the teachers serving as Board of Election Inspectors (BEIs) to use the portable UV lamps to check on the UV marks on the ballots.

According to Consortium on Electoral Reforms (CER) executive director Ramon Caspile, the UV ink supplied by Smartmatic-TIM lacked density so the marks were not read by the machines.

But Smartmatic president for Asia Pacific Cesar Flores belied this, maintaining that the ink they provided was correct.

Flores said there were “inconsistencies” with the UV markings when they were testing the ballots with the PCOS machines, but added that this could be resolved by increasing the density of the ink, which would require more testing.

However, due to time constraints brought about by the late release of the official list of candidates and polling precincts, and the late insertion of security marking of the National Printing Office (NPO) in the ballots, they scrambled to make adjustments.

“So basically, the data suffered a delay for more than 40 days which in turn moved the schedule of printing. The printing schedule is very tight. We saw the need to bring in the fifth printer. We’ve printed more than 32 million ballots. The Comelec and NPO did not stop printing ballots during Holy Week,” Flores said.

Comelec irregularity uncovered

The Comelec also came close to buying some 1.8 million pieces of ballot secrecy folders at an overpriced rate of P380 each as recommended by the agency’s Bids and Awards Committee (BAC).

Comelec Law Department director Ferdinand Rafanan said the irregularity had been uncovered before the contract to supply the folders was awarded to OTC Paper Supply through negotiated contract.

Because of this, the Comelec issued yesterday a resolution recalling the awarding of the contract to OTC Paper Supply.

“There was already a notice of award but no contract has been signed yet. There’s still no purchase order,” said Rafanan, who called the attention of the Comelec regarding a letter of Dr. Arwin Serrano of the Parish Pastoral Council for Responsible Voting (PPCRV) which took note of the overpricing.

In his memorandum to Melo, Rafanan revealed that in the BAC recommendation, the price of each folder was typed as P3.80, instead of P380 and the amount was not written in words.

“Could it be that this is just a typographical error in placing the decimal point so that the real price is only P3.80? This is very critical and suspicious considering that the amount translates to P698,700,000,” Rafanan said.

Secrecy folders are the hardbound folders that will be used by voters to keep the ballots out of the sight of others while they fill them up on the day of the election.

The Comelec will place 22 folders in each of the 82,500 polling precincts across the country.

A Comelec commissioner, who refused to be identified, admitted that they were “misled” by the BAC by putting the decimal point in the amount.

Comelec Resolution No. 8759 showed that BAC, headed by director Maria Lea Alarkon, had recommended the contract be awarded to OTC Paper Supply in a memorandum dated March 8.      

Comelec spokesman James Jimenez said the agency’s Project Management Office, which oversees the preparation of the automated polls, had been tasked to investigate the irregularity.

“We are looking at paper works. It appears that some staff work was not done properly. But definitely, there might have been some errors made along the way,” he added.

Asked why the Comelec did not call a bidding for the secrecy folders, Jimenez claimed that “no one makes a design like that” other than OTC Paper Supply.

“The design is unique. If you have a unique product, you can negotiate. It is not that it’s hard to produce. The specifications are very unique. You have to deliberately make or fabricate these folders. When was the last time you saw (more than) 25 inches folder,” he said. 

Philpost offers services

Meanwhile, Philippine Postal Corp. (Philpost) has offered its services to the Comelec, saying they have the capability to help transport election paraphernalia to municipal and regional offices in time for the May 10 elections.

The Comelec is expected to make its decision if they would hire a private courier to transport forms, folders, paper clips and other supplies to the different provinces.

Philpost Assistant Postmaster General for Administrator Luis Carlos said they have already written the Comelec three times, since early December of last year, to inform the poll body of their interest to provide transportation services in preparation for the national elections.

Carlos said they have even formed an in-house Task Force Comelec, which they could mobilize anytime the poll body needs them. – With Evelyn Macairan