The Commission on Elections (COMELEC) announced on Thursday that St. Timothy Construction Corporation (STCC) has withdrawn from the Miru Joint Venture (JV), the election technology provider for the 2025 elections.
This comes amid reports that one of STCC’s owners may run in the upcoming elections.
COMELEC Chairperson George Garcia emphasized the importance of ensuring the integrity of the elections, stating, "We will not allow the integrity of the elections to be questioned simply because one of the owners of our contracting partners would run in the 2025 elections."
He added that COMELEC gave the joint venture two options: either STCC withdraws, or certain candidates may face disqualification due to a conflict of interest.
The matter has been referred to Comelec’s law department for further action.
"We immediately referred it to the law department to evaluate what actions can be undertaken and look into the obligations of the remaining partners after the withdrawal of STCC,” said Garcia.
While STCC provided the Net Financial Contracting Capacity (NFCC), Comelec will assess the remaining partners' ability to meet regulatory requirements following the withdrawal.
Miru Systems, the South Korea-based company leading the joint venture, reaffirmed its commitment to the election project, stating that STCC was not involved in the development of voting machines.
"We remain steadfast in our preparations and have already delivered substantial milestones within the contract," the company said.
Miru has already delivered 50 percent of the machines and 100 percent of peripherals required for the elections, and it is setting up additional infrastructure, including repair hubs and data centers.
The two other companies in the joint venture are Integrated Computer Systems, Inc. (ICS) and Center Point Solutions and Technologies, Inc. (CPSTI).
