Photo credit: Smartmatic

The Supreme Court en banc on Tuesday, as revealed by spokesperson Camille Sue Mae Ting, ruled in favor of poll service contractor Smartmatic.

The high court granted Smartmatic's petition challenging its disqualification by the Commission on Elections (Comelec) from participating in biddings for poll projects.

However, the Supreme Court clarified that while Smartmatic's petition was upheld, it wouldn't nullify the public bidding or award of the contract by Comelec to another bidder.

This decision underscores the complexities of legal battles surrounding procurement processes and the authority of regulatory bodies.