Firm denies printing ballots after May 13 polls

MANILA, Philippines - A printing company has denied allegations by a former Commission on Elections (Comelec) lawyer it has been printing ballots for the Comelec even after the May 13 polls.

In a statement to The STAR, the Holy Family Printing Corp. clarified that it does not have any contract with the poll body.

Holy Family Printing has contract with the National Printing Office (NPO), which is the main agency mandated to print official ballots and other election paraphernalia.

Lawyers of Holy Family Printing downplayed the statement made by lawyer Melchor Magdamo in a press conference last Tuesday.

“Holy Family Printing categorically and vehemently denies its purported involvement in the supposed printing of election ballots after the May 13, 2013 automated national and local elections,” they stressed.

Showing photos as proof of his allegations, Magdamo told reporters the Comelec has been printing ballots at the Holy Family Printing office in Congressional Avenue, Quezon City.

He said the alleged printing of ballots even after the elections is illegal.

Magdamo said the Comelec earlier announced that there were 39 million votes cast in the May 13 polls. But only 31 million ballots were supposedly printed.

“So there’s a shortage of eight million ballots. They need to fabricate eight million ballots more,” he added.

But Holy Family Printing stressed that it “had nothing to do with the printing of official ballots.”

“Under its contract with the NPO, Holy Family Printing’s responsibilities are limited to lease, delivery, installation and commission of the printing machines; supply and delivery of ballot papers with security features and other consumables for printing; providing technical support personnel during the printing; and other matters incidental to the foregoing,” it explained.