No room at the inn for PCOS machines as eviction looms

COMMISSION on Elections (Comelec) Chairman Sixto Brillantes Jr. assured the public that the warehouse rented to store the precinct count optical scan (PCOS) machines is being taken care of after previous threats of eviction.

Brillantes told the reporters on Monday that the poll body is constantly communicating with the contractors of the warehouse although the parties have not reached any final agreement yet.

“Wala ng problema. Nagkakaron na kami ng [Everything is okay. We’re having] communication with the lessees . . . We will continue negotiating. In the mean time, we’re controlling the security,” Brillantes said.

The poll chief added that the warehouse contractor, Power Services Inc., complained on how Comelec use their “police power” on the vicinity.

“Masama nga loob nila kasi ba’t daw

namin ginagamit ang ‘police power.’

Well, di naman police power yan, nilalagyan lang namin ng security kasi

very vital yung documents na nandon saka equipment . . . di naman nam

ing pwedeng payagan yang mga private companies . . . business interest sa kanila e. Kami hindi business interest, national and public interest ang sa amin. [Actually they’re asking why we are using ‘police power.’ Well, it’s not police power; we’re just tightening the security because the warehouse stores vital documents and equipment. We cannot allow these private companies’ business interest over national and public interest],” he said.

There are a total of 18 security personnel guarding 24/ 7 the warehouse in Cabuyao, Laguna, which boards about 82,000 PCOS machines purchased by the poll body from Smartmatic International last March.

According to the poll chief, the contractor was apparently not the owner of the said warehouse but long-term lessees.

“These are long term lessees. The owner, binigay pala nilang lease ito as long term [gave it to them as a long-term lease agreement]. They are the ones negotiating with us,

okay lang. Nag- uusap naman kami [ We’re communicating] through email naman,” he said.

The two public biddings for the storage of the PCOS machines failed twice, elevating the decision to the Comelec’s higher-ups from the Special Bids and Awards Committee.