St. Timothy Construction Corporation (STCC), one of the three local companies included in the Miru Joint Venture (JV), has withdrawn, citing conflict of interest, the Commission on Elections (Comelec) announced.

This, Comelec said, was prompted by some of STCC's owners planning to file candidacies in the upcoming elections.

“Hindi katanggap-tanggap na mayroon kaming partner na tatakbo sapagkat mako-compromise yung integrity ng ating halalan (It’s not acceptable that we have a partner whose owners are planning to run in the elections. It will compromise the integrity of the elections),” Comelec Chairperson George Garcia told the press at the Manila Hotel Tent after the certificate of candidacy filing.

Garcia likewise assured that STCC’s withdrawal will not affect the 2025 midterm polls.

In a separate statement, South Korean-based election firm Miru Systems said it will still move forward with its two local joint venture partners, Integrated Computer Systems (ICS) and Centerpoint Solutions.

Miru also clarified that while STCC played a role in meeting regulatory compliance requirements, the company did not contribute to the development of its voting machines or services to be used in next year’s elections.

“We thank STCC for their transparency and proactivity in withdrawing from this partnership. We reiterate that this will not affect our commitment to delivering a better automated system in the service of Filipinos.”