Smartmatic seeks TRO vs Comelec DQ

MANILA, Philippines — Voting technology provider Smartmatic is asking the Supreme Court (SC) to issue a temporary restraining order (TRO) against the decision of the Commission on Elections (Comelec), which disqualified the company from participating in Philippine elections.

Truth and Transparency (TNT) Trio member Franklin Ysaac said Smartmatic has filed a petition before the SC seeking the issuance of a TRO.

“As expected, Smartmatic, through its lawyer ACCRA, filed a petition for TRO,” Ysaac said in a social media post.

Last November, the Comelec barred Smartmatic from joining any public bidding and procurement related to elections.

The decision stemmed from a petition against Smartmatic filed by the TNT Trio: former poll commissioner Augusto Lagman, former Department of Information and Communications Technology secretary Eliseo Rio and retired Col. Leonardo Odoño.

Ysaac said they are now preparing their response to the petition of Smartmatic.

“Our lawyers will prepare our comment when the SC orders us to respond to Smartmatic’s request,” he said.

The Comelec has yet to comment on the Smartmatic petition.