Comelec: Local firm in Miru-led joint venture for Eleksyon 2025 withdraws

St. Timothy Construction Corporation (STCC), one of the three local firms in the South Korean Miru Systems-led joint venture (JV) for the automated election system (AES) for the 2025 May elections, has withdrawn from the partnership, the Commission on Elections (Comelec) announced Thursday. 

Comelec chairperson George Erwin Garcia said this developed after the poll body raised concern over information some of the alleged owners of STCC expressed intent to run for local and national positions in next year’s polls due to possible conflict of interest.

“Kinonvey ng Comelec en banc ang sentimyento niya…na we will not allow that the integrity of our elections will be questioned simply because one of our contracting partners will run for the  2025 NLE,” Garcia told reporters in a media briefing. 

(The Comelec en banc conveyed its sentiment: we will not permit the integrity of our elections to be questioned simply because one of our contracting partners is running in the 2025 NLE.)

“Two choices only and we conveyed that message: that particular partner will have to withdraw from the JV or we might be compelled —  in the interest of ensuring a clean, orderly, and honest elections — to disqualify certain candidates because we honestly think that would be what we call as conflict of interest,” he said. 

The STCC provided the Net Financial Contracting Capacity (NFCC) for the P17.99 billion contract for the new AES and automated counting machines (ACM) for the 2025 polls. The two other local firms were Integrated Computer Systems and Centerpoint Solutions Technologies, Inc. 

“Ang ibig sabihin ng NFCC, kaya nilang pondohan ang mga gamit, materials…para maideliver sa Commission ang lahat ng commitment nila sa kontrata. So far naman, nadeliver na sa atin ang 50% kaya mukha namang naprotektahan ang ating interest and therefore, kung ano ang NFCC ng partner na nag-withdraw ay naging sapat na,” the poll chief said.

(NFCC meant that they could fund the necessary materials so that they can deliver on all their contractual commitments to the Commission. So far, 50% of the deliverables have already been delivered to us, so it seems our interests are being protected.)

The Comelec has yet to decide whether to accept the withdrawal. 

GMA News Online is trying to reach the STCC for more details about its decision.

Meanwhile, Garcia said the poll body referred the incident to its Law Department which would recommend proper actions and outline the remaining obligations of the remaining JV partners. 

“Nagpapasalamat tayo sa JV partners lalo na sa St. Timothy sapagkat nakuha na nila ang mensahe na gusto iparating ng Comelec..Sila agad ay tumalima sa sinabi namin na sana nga either mag-withdraw or kung mag-proceed sila,  we will exercise the best discretion that the Comelec has under the given circumstance,” he added.

(We are grateful to our JV partners, especially St. Timothy, as they have successfully understood our message. They immediately responded to our request that either they should withdraw or proceed, and we will exercise the best discretion that Comelec has under the given circumstances.)

Miru, for its part, renewed its commitment to comply with its obligations under the contract as it announced the withdrawal of STCC. 

“While STCC played a role in meeting regulatory compliance requirements, they did not contribute to the development of our voting machines or services to be used in the 2025 National and Local Elections,” said Miru Systems Inc. 

“We remain steadfast in our preparations and have already delivered substantial milestones within the contract,” it added. —LDF, GMA Integrated News