MANILA, Philippines — The preparation for the May 2025 midterm polls is now slightly off track due to a delay in the printing of ballots, Commission on Elections (Comelec) Chairman George Garcia admitted yesterday.
In a radio interview, Garcia said the Comelec may not be able to achieve the initial target of completing the printing of the 73 million ballots for the coming polls by April 14.
According to him, the suspension of the printing of ballots also affected and delayed other related activities such as the conduct of the mock polls and training of teachers serving in the elections.
However, he expressed confidence that they could get back on track in preparations with the implementation of contingency measures.
He said the Comelec is looking to resume printing of ballots on Wednesday as they intend to use the printing machines of the National Printing Office to double the number of ballots being printed daily.
In case the Supreme Court issues another temporary restraining order, Garcia said the Comelec would still find ways to comply as long as they would be able to produce and distribute the required ballots on time.
Garcia also reported that police have already confiscated 140 firearms and arrested 40 individuals for election gun ban violations.
Disqualified bets on ballot
All names of disqualified candidates with pending appeals before the Supreme Court (SC) should be listed on the ballots to avoid reprinting of new ones and destruction of millions of ballots, veteran election lawyer Romulo Macalintal said yesterday.
Macalintal made this suggestion after Comelec reportedly intends to shred six million printed ballots after the SC issued a temporary restraining order (TRO) against the disqualification of senatorial aspirant Subair Guinthum Mustapha and four other local candidates – former Caloocan City representative Edgar Erice; Charles Savellano, running as representative of Ilocos Sur’s first district; Chito Bulatao Balintay, running for Zambales governor; and Florendo de Ramos Ritualo Jr. who is vying for a seat in the Sangguniang Panlungsod of the first district of San Juan City.
The SC also recently issued a TRO favoring candidates Marie Grace David, who is running for vice mayor in Limay, Bataan; Mary Dominique Oñate who is running for mayor of Palompon, Leyte; and Aldrin Sta. Ana, running for mayor of Bocaue, Bulacan.
Macalintal said that the shredding of million copies of printed ballots and reprinting new ones would only be additional cost to the poll body, amounting to millions of pesos since a ballot costs P22.
He further noted that a candidate nominated by a political party (PP) but disqualified “for any cause” could still be substituted by another party member with the same surname.
“To immediately delete the name of the disqualified candidate from the ballot will violate the right of the PP to substitute its disqualified candidate until election day and will render naught and meaningless the purpose of having a substitute with the same surname of the original candidate,” Macalintal pointed out.
Meanwhile, the Workers and Peasants Party (WPP) supported Comelec’s decision to print ballots with candidates’ names arranged in alphabetical order, in compliance with a Supreme Court ruling.
WPP senatorial aspirant Sultan Subair Mustapha said the Comelec decision “ensures fairness and clarity for voters.”