‘Bacoor ballot templates flawed’

MANILA, Philippines - Twelve candidates for councilors of Bacoor City in Cavite yesterday filed a petition with the Commission on Elections (Comelec) seeking correction of erroneous templates of the official ballots in the May 13 polls.

In an 11-page petition, they said there has been a mix-up in the list of candidates in the ballot templates and that this will result in “undeniable confusion on the part of the voters, which necessarily results (in) the curtailment of the true will of the electorate.”

“The ballot template intended for District 1 (Bacoor West) listed candidates for the position of member, Sangguniang Panglungsod from District 2 (Bacoor East). On the other hand, the ballot template intended for District 2 contained the names of candidates for the position of member, Sangguniang Panglungsod from District 1,” they said.

The petitioners are Mike Bautista, Rowena Bautista-Mendiola, Venus de Castro, Reynaldo Fabian, Edwin Gawaran, Boy Solis, Bayani de Leon, Boy de Leon, King Gutierrez, Robert Javier, Gudeng Nolasco, and Rey Palabrica. They all belong to the Lakas-Christian Muslim Democrat party.

The petitioners’ lawyer, Romulo Macalintal, said they got information that the problem is not confined to Bacoor.

For his part, Comelec spokesman James Jimenez gave assurance that the ballots printed by the National Printing Office have been repeatedly checked.