Francis Leo Marcos’ inclusion delays Comelec ballot printing anew

COMELEC PRINTING MACHINES / OCTOBER 26, 2024
Commission on Elections (Comelec) chairman George Garcia joins National Printing Office (NPO) Director III Arjay Lim, Comelec commissioners Ernesto Maceda Jr. and Rey Bulay with Miru Inc. vice-president Cho Song Rea during 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 / NINO JESUS ORBETA

MANILA, Philippines — The inclusion of internet personality Norman Mangusin—better known as Francis Leo Marcos—in the list of senatorial aspirants in the midterm polls, has further delayed the printing of ballots.

Commission on Elections (Comelec) spokesperson John Rex Laudiangco said the printing of ballots on Wednesday, Jan 22., will not push through following Mangusin’s inclusion as a Senate hopeful.

On Tuesday, the Supreme Court’s (SC) temporary restraining order against Comelec prevented the poll body from excluding Mangusin from the ballots.

READ: Comelec to comply with SC’s TROs, even if it delays ballot printing

“The printing of ballots will not push through tomorrow (Wednesday),” Laudiangco told reporters, adding the Comelec has to do several processes to add Marcos’ name in the ballots.

READ: Francis Leo Marcos, 13 other ‘nuisance’ candidates oppose Comelec tag

Laudiangco explained that the Comelec should add Mangusin’s names in the election management system, generate new ballot faces which also have to be checked and verified before the serialization process.

READ: Philip Salvador gets ‘No. 58’ on ballot as Singson voids senatorial bid

Only when these processes were done could the printing of ballots begin.

Last Nov., the Comelec declared Mangusin a nuisance candidate.

They reversed the poll body ruling in 2021 when it allowed Mangusin to run.

Petitioners then alleged that he ran to put the election process in mockery or disrepute since he has no bona fide intention to run for senator, but the said Comelec division did not agree that time, noting that the social media personality is “popular” and “was able to establish that he has a significant modicum of support, which is enough basis to have his name printed on the ballot.”

Marcos is the second senatorial aspirant favored by the SC for this upcoming polls so far.

Senatorial aspirant Subair Mustapha was already added in the latest ballot face of the Comelec after being favored by the high court.

The printing of over six million ballots already began on Jan. 6, but these would have to be discarded since it did not contain Mustapha’s name, incurring a P132 million loss to the poll body.