People behind Smartmatic and TIM

The secret in fully understanding this issue is actually knowing the people behind these two companies.

If you look at the corporate papers of Total Information Management (TIM), it is basically a family corporation headed by Jose Mari Antunez. Previously known as Total Interiors Manufacturing Corporation, it has been engaged in the business of door installation, windows, sashes, counters, cabinets, partitions, paint, electric and plumbing materials in buildings.

TIM has a total paid-up capital of 400 million pesos. Jose Mari serves as president, while Lydia Antunez acts as Treasurer, Jacinto Perez as AVP and COO, Jon Mikei Antunez as AVP, Milagros Wales and Roberto Layson as SVPs, respectively.

Jose Mari Antunez belongs to the Basque mestizo Antunez clan.They are relatives of the Ayesa clan of Cebu.

Last year, it lost P6.137 million from its previous income of P13.961 M php last year.

An amendment to its incorporation papers last December 2008 says that TIM has expanded its services to include wireless data network and telecommunications equipment and devices. The reason for the change, says a source, is that was the time that Smartmatic approached TIM to partner up for the poll automation project.

Now, who are the people behind Smartmatic?

Smartmatic is actually registered as Smartmatic Sahi Technology Incorporated which was registered last March 2008. Total paid up capital is 90 million pesos.

Smartmatic Sahi Technology is owned by two groups, of which 60% of it is owned by Strategic Alliance Holdings Incorporated, a company engaged in real and personal estate properties. Meaning, it's a real estate company.

Who heads Strategic Alliance Holdings Incorporated which constitute 60% of Smartmatic?

SEC papers say its Cezar Quiambao, Anthony Quiambao, Julius Quiambao, Bienvenido Quimbao Jr., Giovanni Casanova and Eric Gene Pilapil.

Now, who owns 40% of Smartmatic?

Based again on SEC papers, the directors of Smartmatic are Cezar Quiambao, Saviniano Perez Jr., Jorge Yulo, Juan Villa Jr. and Miguel Eugenio Villa. The Villas, says some sources, are representatives of Ernest Villareal.

If you look at these names, one familiar name crops up----Cezar Quiambao. I wrote about him several times already. He's very close to the First Gentleman and also have friends from the military. He is very popular in government circles since he bags almost all of the computerized contracts in government.

Now, Quiambao is known for being part of the "ABC" group, composed of Alderito Yuyuico, Bonifacio Sambilla and Cezar Quiambao, the group which allegedly serves as "front" for the business interests of the First Gentleman group, which also includes Ernest Villareal.

The "ABC" group is also very close with the Aboitizes.

Now, let me revise my previous entry titled "the real score."

It seems that TIM was just used by the Smartmatic group to make it appear that the consortium is clean. TIM is widely known in the IT industry as a "clean player". It has been engaged in certain government contracts also but TIM always plays "above board."

The goal really of the Smartmatic group is basically leave TIM out of the picture when they get the poll automation contract from COMELEC.

Those foreigners being made to face the media whenever there's an issue about Smartmatic is simply to hide the real players of the company (Quiambao, etal.).

Now, why is the COMELEC threatening to just have a cooperative venture with Smartmatic? Because that's the ultimate goal---to control the automated elections. By edging TIM out of the picture, Smartmatic would have completed its objective of totally controlling the entire automation project.

As I said, whoever has the administrative key controls the conduct and fate of the entire electoral process.

Now, why is TIM pushing for another technical group to spearhead the project? Because the "personnel" and "technical staff" of SMARTMATIC are of dubious characters. Check with the IT industry and you'll find that they are expert "manipulators".

That said, let me reveal in my next entries what really happened during the negotiations between TIM and Smartmatic...Abangan!