MIRIAM HITS JUDGE FOR P1B UNPAID COMELEC FUNDS

At the Comelec budget hearing, Santiago learned that Judge Winlove Dumayas has given due course to a petition from Mega-Pacific eSolutions, Inc. which will delay refund to the Comelec of some P1 billion, or the rejection of automated counting machines.

“The Supreme Court decision has become final and executory. It is unusual for a mere trial judge in effect to grant a motion for reconsideration from a Supreme Court decision which has already become final,” she said.

Santiago directed Comelec Chair Jose Melo to take legal steps to collect some P260 million from Philippine MultiMedia Systems, for a similarly voided contract.

“People who appeared to have defrauded the Comelec in effect are getting away with Comelec money, which the courts have rendered final and executory. Those suppliers must be very influential,” she said.

At the same budget hearing, Court of Appeals Presiding Justice Conrado Vasquez, Jr. said that the CA received 17 to 20 applications for the writ of amparo, and granted only one to two applications.

Vasquez also said that only one application for writ of habeas data was filed, which was included in a petition for a writ of habeas corpus and writ of amparo.

“It appears either that the public are not yet fully aware that these two new writs are available, or that the applications are unmeritorious,” Santiago said.