Philippine Supreme Court Kicks @ss on Black Box voting

[FreakinDJ]

They only reported the machines could be rigged 3 weeks ago and already they have thrown it out.

WTF is wrong with our Supreme Court

Kinda makes you wonder about a court that "Decided" Bush was good for the country


Supreme Court voids automation
of May 10, 2004 election

G.R. No. 159139. January 13, 2004
Information Technology Foundation of the Philippines, et al. v. Commission on Elections, et al. EN BANC

INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY FOUNDATION OF THE PHILIPPINES, MA. CORAZON M. AKOL, MIGUEL UY, EDUARDO H. LOPEZ, AUGUSTO C. LAGMAN, REX C. DRILON, MIGUEL HILADO, LEY SALCEDO and MANUEL ALCUAZ JR., petitioners, vs. COMMISSION ON ELECTIONS; COMELEC CHAIR BENJAMIN ABALOS SR.; COMELEC BIDDING and AWARD COMMITTEE CHAIRMAN EDUARDO D. MEJOS and MEMBERS GIDEON DE GUZMAN, JOSE F. BALBUENA, LAMBERTO P. LLAMAS, and BARTOLOME SINOCRUZ JR.; MEGA PACIFIC eSOLUTIONS, INC.; and MEGA PACIFIC CONSORTIUM, respondents.
D E C I S I O N PANGANIBAN, J.:

There is grave abuse of discretion (1) when an act is done contrary to the Constitution, the law or jurisprudence;1 <1> or (2) when it is executed whimsically, capriciously or arbitrarily out of malice, ill will or personal bias.2 <2> In the present case, the Commission on Elections approved the assailed Resolution and awarded the subject Contract not only in clear violation of law and jurisprudence, but also in reckless disregard of its own bidding rules and procedure. For the automation of the counting and canvassing of the ballots in the 2004 election, Comelec awarded the Contract to “Mega Pacific Consortium” an entity that had not participated in the bidding. Despite this grant, the poll body signed the actual automation Contract with “Mega Pacific eSolutions Inc.,” a company that joined the bidding but had not met the eligibility requirements.

Comelec awarded this billion-peso undertaking with inexplicable haste, without adequately checking and observing mandatory financial, technical and legal requirements. It also accepted the proferred computer hardware and software even if, at the time of the award, they had undeniably failed to pass eight critical requirements designed to safeguard the integrity of election, especially the following

three items:
• They failed to achieve the accuracy rating criteria of 99.9995 percent set-up by the Comelec itself
• They were not able to detect previously downloaded results at various canvassing or consolidation levels and to prevent these from being inputted again
• They were unable to print the statutorily required audit trails of the count/canvass at different levels without any loss of data

http://www.manilatimes.net/others/special/2004/jan/18/20040118spe1.html

[tom_paine]

1. Wow, you know your in trouble

when a nation formerly ruled by Ferd Marcos teaches you how to protect and preserve hard won freedoms.

Of course, now WE are ruled by Ferd Marcos and the Phillipines, it appears, are more desrving of belonging to the Free World than we.

Sad.

[donsu]

2. agree

nt

[Loonman]

6. Reagan and Bush Sr. were BIG Marcos supporters

http://www.wws.princeton.edu/~pkrugman/marcos.html

[FreakinDJ]

7. Marcos is the one that started all the corruption

It figures Reagen and Bush Sr. were big friends.

I am sure they knew the Millions we were pouring into economic aid was simply lining Maros pockets. The government is still trying to recover billions stashed in Banks all across the world. Last I heard the US was still refusing to surrender some $700,000.00 in US Banks

MORE IMPORTANTLY Marcos STARTED the corruption in the Philippines. It is so ingrained into society it has become almost part of the culture. Every Level and I mean EVERY LEVEL of GOVERNMENT is on the take. If you so much as request a copy of your birth certificate you will probably have to pay some off to get it.

The locals generally refer to it as the AMERICAN SYNDICATE

[Loonman]

3. Scalia has been bought and paid for by the BFEE

As opposed to the filipino Supreme Court.

[FreakinDJ]

4. What is really surprising

Is how FAST they acted

It is 3 weeks from start to finish. I mean of course the whole thing is making for some good National Newspaper headlines, but as soon as the problem was recognised they acted and acted very quickly to protect what freedoms they have.

[Loonman]

5. Yeah, I suppose because

The folks in the Phillipines have more experience with corrupt politicians and rigged elections than we do.

[RedEagle]

8. Not more experience

just more willingess to do something about it.