MANILA – The Commission on Elections (Comelec) will destroy six million poll ballots initially printed for this year’s midterm elections “to eliminate doubts that they might be used in an election or the upcoming election.”
Comelec Chairperson George Garcia said Wednesday that these ballots would be inventoried, reported to the Commission on Audit (COA), and eventually be destroyed.
“We will shred the printed official ballots to eliminate doubts that they might be used in an election or the upcoming election. Let’s remember that these ballots are original ballots and therefore, when inserted into the machines, the machines will accept them,” the poll body chief said in a press briefing at the Comelec main office in Manila.
The ballots that have been printed are for local absentee voting, overseas voting, test ballots, Bangsamoro and Caraga region.
On Tuesday, the Comelec announced the temporary suspension of the ongoing printing of the ballots at the National Printing Office (NPO) in Quezon City which started last January 6.
This came after the Supreme Court (SC) issued temporary restraining orders (TROs) stopping the poll body from enforcing its rulings to disqualify or reject the certificates of candidacy (COCs) of five candidates.
Meanwhile, Garcia said they are looking to resume the printing of ballots early next week.
“Hopefully we can start on Monday. The EMS (Elections Management System) was supposed to be done in two to three days, then there will be new ballot faces, serialization,” he said.
Garcia admitted that these new developments have affected the printing process.
“All activities related to the ballot will have to be pushed back. We are currently delayed. The 77 days we said (to finish the printing), we already lost two weeks (of it),” he explained.
At the same time, the poll body chief assured the people that they were in control of the situation.
“We have a plan B for this kind of situation, we have prepared for this kind of event,” Garcia said.
“The election is May 12, it cannot be reset because that is stated in the Constitution. We are not thinking of any postponement. Comelec will do everything. We are in control of the situation,” he added. (PNA)