Comelec to finish inventory of printed ballots on 16 January

The Commission on Elections (Comelec) said on Thursday it will finish the inventory of the six million ballots initially printed by Friday, 16 January.

The inventory is related to the disposal of the printed official ballots for the national and local elections in May, following the Supreme Court’s order to issue temporary restraining orders (TROs) on five aspirants.

Comelec Spokesperson Rex Laudiangco said all printed ballots will be prepared, packed, and transported from the National Printing Office to the poll body’s warehouse in Sta. Rosa, Laguna, where they will be disposed of.

“They will finish the inventory by tomorrow, and maybe tomorrow they can transport the ballots to the Comelec Sta. Rosa Warehouse for safekeeping,” Laudiangco told reporters.

He added that the poll body will make a separate announcement on when the official ballots will be shredded.

“That’s why the inventory takes so long, because it’s not just simply counting the number of sheets,” Laudiangco said.

“The [automated counting machine] verification continues with the inventory because it must be determined if the ballots are machine-readable and pass the physical check, as only the Good Ballots will be paid for,” he added.

On 14 January, the Supreme Court (SC) issued six different temporary restraining orders (TROs) against the Commission on Elections (Comelec) from enforcing its rulings to disqualify or reject the filing of certificates of candidacy (COCs) for five individuals seeking to run for various positions in the upcoming national and local elections.

The High Court granted TROs prohibiting the Comelec from declaring Subair Guinthum Mustapha and Charles Savellano as nuisance candidates in their bid to run for the Senate and as Ilocos Sur First District representative, respectively.

It also granted a TRO in favor of Chito Bulatao Balintay, a member of the indigenous peoples of Zambales, who filed a petition challenging the Comelec’s resolution rejecting his application, which prevented him from filing his COC for Zambales governor.

Moreover, the SC likewise granted TROs in favor of Edgar Erice, who was disqualified by the poll body in his bid as representative of Caloocan City’s Second District, and Florendo de Ramos Ritualo Jr., who is challenging the Comelec resolution canceling his COC for Sangguniang Panlungsod (City Council) member for San Juan City’s First District.