Ballot reprinting won’t lead to postponement of May polls – Garcia

Comelec chairman George Garcia and Comelec Commissioner Ernesto Maceda Jr. lead the ceremonial turnover of the printing machines and printing of test ballots for the 2025 National and Local Elections at the NPO in Quezon City on Saturday, October 26, 2024. (INQUIRER photo / NIÑO JESUS ORBETA)
MANILA, Philippines — The reprinting of the ballots will not lead to the resetting of midterm polls on May 12, Commission on Elections (Comelec) chairman George Erwin Garcia said on Wednesday.
Garcia made the pronouncement amid a Supreme Court decision that reversed the poll body’s resolution which previously declared that senatorial aspirant Subair Guinthum Mustapha was a nuisance candidate.
The reprinting will be done by Comelec to include Mustapha in the revised list of senatorial candidates.
Before the ruling of the high tribunal, the Comelec had printed the ballots.
Ballot printing for local and overseas absentee voters began on Jan. 6.
Article continues after this advertisementThe activity was finished a few days later.
The paraphernalia for absentee voters contained only the names of national candidates.
“Hinding hindi po yan mare-reset sapagkat yan po ay nakalagay sa Constitution,” Garcia said in an ambush interview about the midterm polls.
He explained that the elections can only be reset if there is a declaration of an election postponement. And this move the poll body does not intend to do.
Garcia said: “Wala po tayong iniisip na kahit anong postponement. Gagawin po ng Comelec ang lahat. We will be in control of the situation.”
This episode on a nuisance candidacy wasted some six million printed ballots.
Nevertheless, Garcia previously said the Comelec has to comply with the SC order.