KUWTT: Comelec withholds P90M Smartmatic fee

KUWTT: Comelec withholds P90M Smartmatic fee | Apr. 20, 2022

by The Manila Times

Apr 20, 2022 2:36 am

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Here are the top stories of The Manila Times for Wednesday, April 20, 2022.

READ: Comelec withholds P90M Smartmatic fee

Commission on Elections or Comelec Chairman Saidamen Pangarungan told the Senate Committee on Electoral Reforms and People's Participation on Tuesday, April 19 that the poll body had decided to withhold a P90-million payment for the services of Smartmatic, its automated elections technology provider, whose data was allegedly breached.

READ: Incumbents lead Publicus survey in NCR

Pasig City Mayor Victor Maria Regis "Vico" Sotto and Valenzuela Rep. Weslie "Wes" Gatchalian were among the mayoral candidates in the National Capital Region or NCR that received the highest preference among voters, the April 2022 survey of Publicus Asia showed.

READ: Business groups: Next leader should continue good programs

The next president should continue to implement the reforms started by the Duterte administration and focus on developing the energy, agriculture and education sectors, business groups said on Tuesday.

READ: Late envoy honored for anti-Covid efforts

The Department of Health or DoH paid tribute to Philippine Ambassador to China Jose Santiago "Chito" Sta. Romana, who passed away on Tuesday in Anhui, China at the age of 74.

READ: Health norm breaches seen during Holy Week

DoH warned on Tuesday of breaches in minimum health standards made during the Holy Week holiday period because of mass gatherings and lapses in wearing masks in vacation sites such as beaches and in religious events. The Health department warned that this could lead to Covid-19 case surges.

READ: Garcia sees Marcos landslide win in Cebu

Cebu Gov. Gwendolyn Garcia has assured survey frontrunner Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. of a huge win in her turf in May.

READ: PAO to hire 400 new lawyers

The Public Attorney's Office or PAO said on Tuesday it would hire 400 new lawyers to serve millions of indigent clients all over the country, PAO chief Persida Rueda-Acosta said.

In regional news,

READ: 32 NPA rebels neutralized in Negros, Panay islands

The intensive operations, of the 3rd Infantry Division of the Philippine Army, resulted in the neutralization of 32 members of the New People's Army or NPA in Negros and Panay Islands in the first three months of 2022.

In world news,

READ: Blasts hit Kabul schools; students among dead

Explosions, targeting educational institutions, killed at least six people, including students, and injured 11 others on Tuesday in a mostly Shiite neighborhood of Afghanistan's capital city, police said.

READ: Airstrikes pound Ukraine's east in major offensive

Moscow launched dozens of airstrikes across eastern Ukraine overnight, it's defense ministry said on Tuesday after Kyiv accused Russian forces of unleashing a major new offensive in the Donbas region.

In business,

READ: R&I keeps PH credit rating

A Japan-based credit rating agency has maintained the Philippines' investment-grade credit rating of "BBB+" with a stable outlook, citing the economy's solid growth rebound, sound government finances, surging investments and a firm banking sector.

And in sports,

READ: Ginebra to reassert dominance vs Meralco

The Gin Kings are one win away from retaining the throne of the PBA Governors' Cup.

Rigoberto Tiglao and Fr. Ranhilio Aquino are the featured columnists on the front page of The Times.

Tiglao claims

READ: Robredo camp shamelessly exploits Christian rituals

Fr. Aquino advises

READ: What to study law for

In The Times editorial, it is said that

READ: Duterte raises the bar for successor on the environment

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