Comelec destroys spoiled ballots

MANILA, Philippines — Over 1.05 million excess and spoiled ballots were destroyed yesterday by the Commission on Elections (Comelec) at the National Printing Office in Quezon City as part of efforts to prevent fraud during the barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) polls. 

According to Ma. Victoria Dulcero, vice chair of the Comelec printing committee, the ballots were destroyed for “security and transparency” with proper notice from stakeholders, including the citizen’s arm.

“We want to make sure that excess ballots will be destroyed so that they cannot be used to propagate dishonesty and fraud on election day,” Dulcero said.

A total of 1,056,154 ballots were cut into pieces yesterday, including 511,401 for the barangay race and 544,753 for SK. 

Comelec spokesman James Jimenez said under the law, the poll body is prohibited from printing excess ballots. 

Poll watchdog groups urged the public to protect their votes by reporting anomalous activities in the barangay and SK elections on Monday.

Paolo Maligaya of the National Citizen’s Movement for Free Elections (Namfrel) said the public should go out and enjoy their right to vote but also protect the polls’ integrity. 

He encouraged voters to report election-related violations, such as vote-buying and violence in their precincts. 

Antonio Villasor, executive director of the Parish Pastoral Council for Responsible Voting (PPCRV), also urged the public to be vigilant, even if they did not sign up as volunteers of the accredited citizen’s arms. 

He said PPCRV had tapped at least 200,000 volunteers in 4,000 to 6,000 parishes nationwide. 

Namfrel and PPCRV were accredited as the citizen’s arms of the Comelec for the May 14 elections, citing the two groups’ extensive experience as poll watchdogs.

The Legal Network for Truthful Elections (LENTE) also echoed the two poll watchdogs’ call, saying that the public should be vigilant during elections.

The Teacher’s Dignity Coalition urged the Comelec to protect the teachers who would serve as poll watchers.

Teachers’ allowance

Some public school teachers who will serve in the upcoming barangay and SK elections will be exempted from the tax to be collected from their poll duty allowance. 

The Department of Education (DepEd) yesterday said those who receive an annual salary of P250,000 or less will be exempted from the five-percent tax imposed on honoraria and allowances.

“We lobbied that the honoraria that our teachers will be receiving will be tax exempt,” said DepEd assistant secretary Revsee Escobedo. 

Based on the Election Service Reform Act, P6,000 will be given as honoraria to those who will serve as chairpersons of electoral boards; P5,000 for members of electoral boards; P4,000 for DepEd supervisor officials, and P2,000 for support staff.

Those who will render election services will also receive an additional P1,000 as travel allowance.

Other benefits include a minimum of five days service credit, legal indemnification package worth P50,000, medical assistance of up to P200,000 and election-related death benefit amounting to P500,000.

“However, the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) made a ruling on the matter, stating that with the application of existing laws – the tax code and TRAIN law – the honoraria is subject to tax but with an exemption that those who will serve in the elections with an annual compensation of less than P250,000,” Escobedo said.

Teachers not covered by the exemption will be subjected to around P300 to P350 withholding tax, according to DepEd. 

In a three-page letter sent to the Comelec and Alliance of Concerned Teachers, BIR commissioner Caesar Dulay said that honoraria and allowances are subject to income tax regardless of the amount. 

Comelec director for information and education Frances Aguindadao-Arabe said teachers who are exempted from the tax would receive a refund within 15 days after the elections.  –  With Romina Cabrera, Janvic Mateo