The decision of the Supreme Court (SC) on the disqualification of automated poll provider Smartmatic does not affect the Commission on Election’s (Comelec) agreement with Miru Systems and the upcoming 2025 midterm elections, according to the poll body chief.
Comelec chairman George Erwin Garcia stated that they intend to appeal the high court’s decision. He emphasized that the preparations will proceed as planned, and the award given to Miru Systems remains valid.
The SC ruled on Wednesday to disqualify Smartmatic, a decision that the company welcomed as a “significant victory for fairness and the rule of law.” Despite receiving an invitation from Comelec to participate in the 2025 Election and Procurement Summit, Smartmatic was disqualified from all bidding processes by Comelec due to integrity issues, particularly related to the 2016 elections.
Garcia clarified in an interview that while Smartmatic’s disqualification is in effect, the company’s participation will be allowed going forward if they choose to do so. Comelec will be issuing a formal statement regarding the SC’s decision in the coming days.
