The Commission on Elections said it would review its contract with Smartmatic due to alleged security breach revealed at a recent hearing of the Joint Congressional Oversight Committee on the Automated Election System.
In a statement, Comelec chairperson Saidamen Pangarungan said he already ordered Executive Director Bartolome Sinocruz to get the side of the international service provider on the allegations of a security breach.
“We also directed the Law Department to conduct a review of the contract with Smartmatic and to advise the courses of action to be taken by the Commission as may be provided by law and jurisprudence,” Pangarungan said.
“In line with this, serious allegations of violations and indiscretion of Comelec providers will be stringently addressed by this Commission.”
“Although we maintain that the Comelec has not fallen victim to any attacks that will amount to a security breach, we will not take these allegations sitting down,” he added.
He reiterated that the said measures were just a few of the measures that the Comelec had been instituting in performing their mandate in protecting the sanctity of the vote, since his appointment.
He assured the public that the Comelec would continue to provide more safeguards and policies that will uphold the country’s democratic exercise.
Earlier, Senate President Vicente Sotto III and Senator Imee Marcos claimed there was a “very serious” security breach in the operations of Smartmatic allegedly involving one of its employees who had access to confidential information.
Pangarungan also ordered Sinocruz to coordinate with the National Bureau of Investigation and secure a copy of its report once available.
He also ordered the creation of a plan that would prevent such incidents from happening again.
