House minority to reject proposed Comelec budget for 2019 if Smartmatic not replaced

(Eagle News) — Members of the House minority bloc on Thursday, June 14, said they would move for the rejection of the Commission on Elections’ budget proposal for 2019 if the poll agency does not replace Smartmatic as the midterm elections’ technology provider.

“Glaring na glaring naman ‘yung lapses nila,” House minority leader Danilo Suarez said.

BUHAY party-list Rep. Lito Atienza cited as an example Smartmatic’s alleged lapses during the 2016 elections.

He said such “lapses” prompted former Senator Bongbong Marcos to file an electoral protest against Leni Robredo, who was declared the winner in the vice presidential elections.

The Supreme Court sitting as the Presidential Electoral Tribunal has ordered an initial manual recount that covers three provinces.

“I-bid natin kung sino ang magse-serve,” Suarez said.