Manila: The Commission on Elections (Comelec) has accepted the new Net Financial Contracting Capacity (NFCC) submitted by the remaining members of the Miru Systems Joint Venture, the service provider of the automated election system (AES) for next year's midterm polls. In its Minute Resolution 24-0856, the Comelec en banc said the NFCC submitted by the South Korean firm and its remaining local partners Integrated Computer Systems (ICS) and Centerpoint Solutions Technologies, Inc. (CPSTI), is adequate. "The Commission resolves to note the hereto attached and forming integral part hereof, Law Department comment and Project Management Office (PMO) recommendation, and consider and declare the new NFCC submitted by the remaining partners of MIRU-ICS-STCC-CPSTI Joint Venture, in compliance with the directive of the Commission in Minute Resolution No. 24-0878 dated 04 Oct. 2024, as sufficient and in order," said the resolution dated Oct. 22 and made public on Wednesday. The NFCC was accepted based on the assessme nt of the poll body that its new amount of PHP19.25 million is higher than the project's contract price of PHP17.98 million. "The Law Department finds the NFCC submitted by the provider sufficient and in order," PMO head, Director Ester Villaflor-Roxas, said in her memorandum to the Comelec en banc. Earlier, St. Timothy's Construction Co. (STCC) withdrew from the joint venture, prompting Comelec to require the remaining Miru Joint Venture partners to submit a replacement NFCC. At the same time, Comelec chairman George Garcia noted that they are studying legal actions against STCC officials. "We are following up with the Law Department the criminal, civil, and administrative liability study due to the withdrawal of one of the joint venture partners," he said in an interview with reporters on Wednesday. Source: Philippines News Agency