POLL AUTOMATION. Commission on Elections Chairman George Erwin Garcia (2nd from left) and Miru Systems president Jinbok Chung (3rd from left) show the signed contract for the automated voting system to be used in 2025 national and local elections at the Comelec main office in Intramuros, Manila on March 11, 2024. Former Caloocan City Rep. Edgar Erice on Thursday (April 18) asked the Supreme Court to issue a temporary restraining order against the implementation of the PHP18-billion contract. (PNA photo by Yancy Lim)
MANILA – A former lawmaker on Thursday filed a petition before the Supreme Court (SC) seeking a temporary restraining order (TRO) and preliminary injunction against the Commission on Elections’ (Comelec) contract with Miru Systems Co. for the automated voting system to be used in 2025 national and local elections.
In his petition, former Caloocan Rep. Edgar Erice claimed that the contract violates RA 9369, or the Election Automation Law of 2007, as the voting machine presented by Miru is only a “prototype.”
Republic Act 9369 explicitly requires that “the system procured must have demonstrated capability and been successfully used in a prior electoral exercise here or abroad.”
Erice said the Miru contract will “endanger the orderly conduct of the 2025 elections” and is “highly anomalous and overpriced.”
Comelec and Miru signed the PHP18-billion 2025 automated election system service contract last March 11.
Lawmakers, election watchdogs, and other groups earlier expressed concern over Miru's track record in holding electoral exercises over supposed irregularities in elections in several countries, particularly in Congo and Iraq.
However, Miru Systems said the allegations of election failures due to its technology were false.
Meanwhile, the Comelec said preparations for the May 2025 midterm elections are in full swing.
Comelec spokesperson John Rex Laudiangco said Wednesday the manufacturing of the automated counting machines (ACMs) by Miru System will start on April 19 in South Korea.
Laudiangco said 20 ACMs that would be used for demonstration procedures would be manufactured.
All procedures to be undertaken by Miru would be live streamed for transparency, he added. (PNA)
