MANILA – The Commission on Elections (Comelec) announced the suspension of the printing of the official ballots that will be used for the mid-term national and local elections in May 12.
The suspension was 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 individuals seeking electing posts.
“While the Comelec has yet to officially receive its copies of the subject TROs, we commit to do everything to comply with said Orders,” the Comelec said in a statement.
“We have now taken the necessary steps (for the) immediate cessation of printing of official ballots and all attendant activities thereto at the National Printing Office,” it added.
Aside from stopping ballot printing at the National Printing Office, Comelec also ordered the changing of the Candidates’ Database, the Election Management System (EMS), the Automated Counting Machine (ACM), and the Consolidation and Canvassing System (CCS).
The poll body also ordered the regeneration of 1,667 ballot face templates and all their serialization and implemented necessary changes to the numbering of the candidates.
The Comelec said there will also be a reprinting of all the affected ballots at the proper time when all the necessary changes in the Candidates’ Database and EMS had already been effected, as well as the accounting and auditing of the necessary costs and wastages, including the wages of personnel, supplies and materials inclusive of the ballot paper, toners, and others.
Meanwhile, Comelec chairman George Garcia said that around six million ballots printed will now be useless following the SC’s TRO against five disqualified candidates.
“Yung naimprenta po namin na higit kumulang na anim na milyong balota ay mababalewala na po lahat sapagkat wala po ‘yung pangalan ng naturang kandidato,” Garcia said in an interview with GMA’s Unang Balita. “And therefore, back to zero po kami.”
“Medyo malaki na po (ang nagastos). Kung anim na milyon ‘yan, i-multiply ninyo po sa P22 isang balota,” he added. “Pagkatapos napakadami po namin doon na mga tauhan na pinapasuweldo with overtime lahat po ‘yun kasi nga po may night shift po kami.”
The Comelec started printing the 73 million ballots to be used for the elections on January 6 this year./PN
