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Anong sagot ng COMELEC sa bagong revelation na ito?

Supplier of P900-M counting machines ‘non-existent’

The charge on the P900-million automated counting machines (ACMs) contract between the Commission on Elections (Comelec) and Mega Pacific eSolutions Inc. being onerous was bolstered yesterday at the Senate after the chamber's probers discovered the supplier “is actually a non-existent entity” bagging the deal.

According to the Senate blue ribbon committee, Mega Pacific was incorporated only 11 days before the awarding of the contract was made on March 10 last year and that its consortium, Mega Pacific Consortium Inc., “is a non-existent entity, having no legal personality to speak of.”

Comelec officials may have to brace themselves for a new case out of the transaction, which, according to Minority Leader Aquilino Pimentel Jr., is marred with kickbacks amounting to more than P300 million.

During the continuing Senate investigation, Comelec chairman Benjamin Abalos, along with the executives of Mega Pacific, practically ran out of excuses as they were “cornered” by senators on the alleged numerous legal loopholes of the contract.

“Nothing much has changed in our perception about the culpability of the Comelec, and its officials are responsible for this onerous contract,” Pimentel, in an interview, said.

Dapat matagal nang nag-resign si Ben Abalos over this.