Move to waive election procurement safeguards in GAB ‘unconstitutional’ – Drilon

Senate Minority Leader Frank Drilon on Monday described as “unconstitutional” the alleged attempt by one of his colleagues to have the requirements and safeguards in the procurement of the automated election system waived under the proposed 2021 budget.

“I received that report. I do not know if that provision was in the Senate version which we approved. If it is there, I do not know who authored that amendment,” he said.

“In any case, I brought it to the attention of Senator (Sonny) Angara, chairman of our finance committee, advising him that if true, the provision could be unconstitutional as a rider, since it had nothing to do with the budget,” Drilon said.

“Moreover, if true, it will amend the Procurement Law, which cannot be amended by inserting that clause in the General Appropriations Act. Sen Angara committed that he will not allow the insertion of that provision,” he added.

On Sunday, election lawyer Emil Marañon alleged that “someone at the Senate” was trying to insert a provision in the 2021 spending bill to waive the election procurement safeguards.

“Someone at the Senate is now attempting to insert a provision in the GAA giving COMELC a carte blanche authority to waive/disregard all the requirements and safeguards in Section 12 of the Automated Election Law (RA 8436 as amended by RA 9369). THIS IS VERY DANGEROUS,” Marañon said.

“With this, COMELEC can now adopt an untested new system or it can waive all safeguards, mandatory tests, certifications, review by political parties and election watch dogs, among others. If this happen, the upcoming election can no longer be trusted,” he said.

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