The Philippine Commission on Elections (Comelec) has announced plans to destroy six million ballots that were initially printed for the upcoming midterm elections. This decision, as stated by Comelec Chairperson George Garcia, aims to dispel any concerns that these ballots could be misused in future elections. The ballots in question were intended for local absentee voting, overseas voting, test ballots, and regions such as Bangsamoro and Caraga.
Garcia emphasized that these ballots, being original, could be accepted by voting machines if used. To prevent any potential misuse, the ballots will be inventoried, reported to the Commission on Audit (COA), and subsequently shredded. This action follows a temporary suspension of ballot printing at the National Printing Office in Quezon City, prompted by Supreme Court temporary restraining orders related to the disqualification of five candidates’ certificates of candidacy.
Despite these setbacks, Garcia remains optimistic about resuming the printing process early next week, specifically mentioning Monday as a potential restart date. He acknowledged that the ongoing legal challenges have delayed the printing schedule, pushing back all related activities and losing two weeks of the originally planned 77-day printing period.
Garcia reassured the public that Comelec has a contingency plan in place and is fully prepared to handle the situation. He stressed that the election date of May 12 is fixed by the Constitution and cannot be changed, affirming that Comelec is in control and not considering any postponement of the elections.