The Commission on Elections demonstrates the automated counting machines by Miru Systems to be used for the 2025 Midterm Elections at the ABS-CBN Broadcasting Center in Quezon City on June 19, 2024. The new system is said to be faster and has better features over the machines used in the previous elections. Mark Demayo, ABS-CBN News

MANILA (UPDATED) — A civil society group on Thursday filed a petition for certiorari before the Supreme Court in order to compel the Commission on Elections (Comelec) and its partner Miru Systems Joint Venture to disclose documents related to the 2025 midterm elections.

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Right to Know, Right Now Coalition raised the public’s constitutional right to information on matters that affect the integrity and transparency of the electoral process.

The group said their request for information from the Comelec was only partially granted while Miru’s responses were supposedly evasive, without even giving out any of the requested documents or records.

Among the group’s requests were an updated Joint Venture Agreement entered into by Miru with its local partners for the purpose of verifying if the remaining partners retain the financial, technical and operational capacity to meet their contractual obligation.

Another request made by the group with the Comelec and Miru was the risk assessment, which identifies potential risks due to the withdrawal of St. Timothy Construction Corporation from the joint venture.

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“The petition urges the Supreme Court to use its rulemaking power to clarify procedural uncertainties in the enforcement of the people’s right to access information of significant public interest,” the group said.

Meanwhile, Miru said it addressed the coalition’s request for information with “utmost transparency, as part of our commitment to the integrity of the 2025 elections.”

The firm added that it has been on track with its commitment with Comelec, stressing their capability to support the successful holding of elections.

“Given that all machines have been fully delivered and are securely stored in COMELEC’s warehouse and that our project continues to be on track of all scheduled milestones, we believe that we have shown our ability to provide a successful electoral system,” said Miru in a statement.

:Comelec remains the primary administrator of this initiative, and we follow every directive to comply fully with legal and regulatory standards. Together, we aim to contribute to a credible election process that embodies the highest principles of integrity and public service.”

Comelec last year awarded South Korean firm Miru Systems Company Ltd. the P18.8-billion FASTrAC project for the May 2025 automated elections.

Under the FASTrAC or Full Automation System with Transparency Audit/Count, the joint venture will supply the hardware, which includes 110,000 automated counting machines, laptops, ballot boxes and ballots, the software or the Consolidation and Canvassing System, and the Election Management System.

For more news and features on Philippine elections, visit the ABS-CBN News' Halalan 2025 page.

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