Comelec resumes printing of ballots after repeated delays

SCRUTINY. Technicians inspect a printing machine for ballots and other forms for the 2025 midterm polls at the National Printing Office in Quezon City on Tuesday (Sept. 24, 2024). (PNA photo by Joan Bondoc)

MANILA, Philippines — The Commission on Elections (Comelec) resumed printing ballots on Monday after being delayed repeatedly due to last-minute adjustments brought about by Supreme Court (SC) rulings.

Comelec began the printing at the National Printing Office (NPO) in Quezon City.

This is the third time the ballot printing got delayed.

On Jan. 14, the SC issued a temporary restraining order (TRO) in favor of senatorial aspirant Subair Mustapha.

The printing of over six million ballots had already begun on Jan. 6, but Comelec had to discard them since the ballots did not contain Mustapha’s name.

This move cost the Comelec P132 million.

The reprinting of ballots, with the name of Mustapha, was supposed to be done on Jan. 22.

But on Jan. 21, the SC issued another TRO, which ordered the Comelec to put Norman Mangusin’s name (also known as Francis Leo Marcos) on the ballot.

Last Nov. 2024, the Comelec had declared Mangusin a nuisance candidate, reversing the poll body’s own ruling in 2021 when it allowed him to run for 2022 polls.

READ: Two Marcoses on 2025 election ballots as ex-nuisance bet uses stage name

The names of Mangusin and Mustapha would have to be included in the latest ballot that was supposed to be printed on Friday.

However, the withdrawal of Mangusin pushed the ballot printing schedule for several days since the Comelec had to generate new ballots without his name.

The ballots had to be checked and verified again before another serialization process could take place.

The Comelec has since deputized the NPO to fast-track the printing of ballots.