26/04/2025
PRESS STATEMENT
April 26, 2025
Local Election Watchdog Kontra Daya Panay Raises Alarms Over 2025 Automated Elections
Service provider Miru Systems faces allegations of fraud and machine failures abroad; COMELEC disqualified its previously touted partner Smartmatic
ILOILO CITY – Our electoral system has evolved alongside advancements in science and technology, yet it still fails to produce results that truly represent the will of the people. For decades, the supposedly democratic electoral processes in the country have been foreign-controlled, mired in fraud and human rights violations, and hijacked by political dynasties and their cohorts of bureaucrat capitalists and landlords.
As we enter the final three weeks before the May 12 elections, public anxiety over the credibility of the vote is mounting—especially among overseas Filipino voters. The electoral exercise remains dominated by political dynasties and traditional elites who rely on patronage politics through the distribution of aid (ayuda), military intimidation against progressive candidates, and the widespread use of misinformation and disinformation.
Why is Miru Systems questionable?
The upcoming elections mark the sixth automated national election since Smartmatic’s monopoly from 2010 to 2022. However, the entry of new provider Miru Systems has sparked serious concerns over its integrity, given troubling reports from past elections in other countries, issues surrounding its contract procurement, and technical problems already experienced in the overseas absentee voting.
In Iraq's 2023 provincial elections, 70% of polling stations reportedly suffered machine malfunctions, resulting in improper transmission and recording of results—some of which required manual recounts. In the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), 45% of machines also failed, prompting calls to annul the election. There are also reports that repackaged machines used in Argentina’s 2018 elections reappeared in DRC, casting further doubt on Miru’s reliability.
Miru won the Philippine contract through a P17.988 billion joint venture with local partners Centerpoint Solutions Technologies Inc. and Integrated Computer Systems, which share P10.74 billion, while Miru holds P7.16 billion. A third partner, St. Timothy Construction Corporation, withdrew due to a conflict of interest, raising serious questions about the remaining contractors’ capacity and the contract's integrity.
Initial reports from overseas Filipino voters are equally alarming. They were not shown a digital image of their selected candidates, and instead were shown only a “plain text” version of their ballot, which led to confusion and discouraged some from voting altogether.
An unreliable, corrupted system
Before handing over the 2025 elections to Miru, the Commission on Elections (COMELEC) disqualified its long-time partner Smartmatic from bidding due to bribery allegations and procurement anomalies from the 2016 elections. The U.S. Department of Justice filed money laundering charges against former COMELEC Chair Juan Andres Bautista, with four Smartmatic executives implicated in allegedly attempting to transfer $4 million in bribes to him.
Though the Supreme Court later reversed Smartmatic’s disqualification on technical grounds—ruling that COMELEC committed grave abuse of discretion—the decision did not authorize a rebidding, leaving the public with more questions than answers.
This casts further doubt not only on Smartmatic’s credibility but also on the integrity of past elections. The five automated elections it handled were plagued with controversies—from machine malfunctions and non-transparency of source codes to identical IP addresses, improbable speed of transmission, and "super-votes" for presidential and vice-presidential candidates surpassing the votes received by the top senatorial bet—an anomaly never seen before.
Ayuda, suppression of rights, and political dynasties
Poor and marginalized communities continue to be exploited through the strategic distribution of government aid turned into political favors. Patronage politics is alive and well, with politicians converting public funds—formerly their pork barrels—into vote-buying mechanisms.
Progressive and independent candidates are targeted through red-tagging, fake posters, and the vandalism or removal of their campaign materials. Meanwhile, political clans wielding economic and political power dominate the electoral arena, ensuring their continued rule.
Despite worsening economic and social conditions, those in power—the bureaucrat capitalists—continue to entrench their dynasties and expand their wealth.
A challenge to the people
We are at a critical juncture. The decisions made in this election will shape our collective future. But unless these systemic issues are addressed, our situation will only deteriorate, deepening the suffering of the poor and oppressed.
We urge the people to remain vigilant, to choose candidates with genuine platforms for change, and to reject those who rely on deceit, coercion, and wealth to stay in power. Let us educate and organize ourselves, assert our collective power, and demand a just and democratic electoral process that truly reflects the people’s will.
Reference:
Rev. Msgr. Marco Sulayao
Spokesperson, Kontra Daya Panay
12/05/2025
12/05/2025
06/05/2025