Comelec urges election bets backing out to withdraw before ballot reprint
MANILA, Philippines — Commission on Elections (Comelec) Chairman George Garcia called on those planning to back out of the 2025 elections to withdraw their candidacies before the Comelec begins reprinting ballots next Monday.
According to Garcia, aspirants can file their withdrawal from Thursday until before noon on Friday.
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“Nanawagan po tayo sa lahat ng iba pang mga kandidato na gustong magwithdraw, nagnanais na hindi na tumuloy, gawin niyo na po agad yan habang ‘di po kami nag-iimprenta ng balota, habang may panahon pa,” Garcia said in an interview at the Palacio del Gobernador in Intramuros, Manila.
(We call on all other candidates who wish to withdraw or no longer wish to proceed with their candidacies to do so immediately, while we are not yet printing the ballots and while there is still time.)
Garcia said that for every withdrawal filed before reprinting the ballots, the poll body allocates two to three days to amend the database containing all the aspirants’ information and ballot faces.
Article continues after this advertisement“Kapag nagwithdraw at naprint na, hindi na po tatanggalin yung pangalan at hindi na mag oorder ng reprinting. Kung sakali, ang mga boto na lang ay magiging stray doon sa mga nagwithdraw ng kandidatura,” Garcia added.
Article continues after this advertisement(If a candidate withdraws after the ballots have been printed, their name will not be removed, and no reprinting will be ordered. In that case, the votes cast for them will be considered stray for those who withdrew their candidacy.)
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This came after Norman Mangusin, otherwise known as Francis Leo Marcos, personally filed his withdrawal from the senatorial race.
Mangusin was previously declared a nuisance candidate by the Comelec. However, a temporary restraining order issued by the Supreme Court reversed the Comelec’s decision, allowing him to run in the May elections.
This led to his inclusion on the ballot, which halted the planned reprinting of ballots on Wednesday.
Mangusin’s withdrawal prompted the poll body to reschedule the ballot printing for Monday, January 27.