Vico accuses possible rival of links to Miru

MANILA, Philippines — Pasig Mayor Vico Sotto has accused his opponent for the city’s mayoral post in next year’s elections of alleged connection with South Korean company Miru Systems, winner of the P18-billion automated counting machines contract that will be used in the 2025 midterm elections.

Sotto made the allegations after the Commission on Elections (Comelec) reportedly flagged potential conflict of interest following reports that people linked to election contractors are running for office.

In a social media post, Sotto said that Sarah Discaya, his expected rival for the 2025 elections, allegedly owned St. Timothy Construction Corp. (STCC), a local partner of Miru Systems.

Miru Systems was the lone bidder for the contract to provide automated counting machines and other election paraphernalia for the 2025 elections.

“The same people are behind St. Gerrard Construction (SGC) and St. Timothy Construction,” Sotto said. “They go around using St. Gerrard as if it’s a political party.”

The SGC denied any connection to STCC, describing Sotto’s allegations as false and unfounded.

A report of dzRH claimed that Miru Systems has confirmed that STCC has withdrawn from the project.

Sotto noted that in St. Timothy’s supposed articles of incorporation filed in July 2014, three Discayas appeared among its five incorporators identified through their last name or middle name.

“This is well known in many circles. The evidence is also overwhelming. The two construction companies have common incorporators, use the same business address… the presidents of both companies even declare the same residential address,” Sotto said.

He stressed that a financier or contracting party for the Comelec’s automated election machines cannot run for the same elections.

Sotto said STCC has a questionable track record as government contractor and was once suspended by the Department of Public Works and Highways for submitting a fake Bureau of Internal Revenue tax clearance.

On the other hand, SGC – one of the top government contractors during the Duterte administration – was reportedly suspended from participating in all government projects for a year due to delays in the construction of several educational facilities at the Lumampong National High School in Indang, Cavite.

Curlee Discaya, owner of St. Gerrard, dismissed Sotto’s allegations, saying the company “has not engaged in any form of collaboration, partnership or any kind of participation in the company of St. Timothy.”