Comelec gives top priority to ballot printing by region
THE Commission on Elections (Comelec) will prioritize the printing of ballots and distribution of all election paraphernalia by region, starting from the farthest. Chairman George Erwin Garcia made this known Monday as the Comelec resumed the printing of 73 million ballots for the May 12 national and local elections and the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) parliamentary polls. Printing was suspended on Jan. 14 after the Supreme Court issued temporary restraining orders to stop the poll body from disqualifying a number of candidates. Garcia on Monday said candidates who are still awaiting a final decision on their disqualification cases or motions for reconsideration from the Comelec en banc are still included in the official ballots. Among the candidates with pending motions and disqualifications is incumbent Marikina City Mayor Marcelino Teodoro, whose certificate of candidacy for congressman was earlier canceled by the Comelec Second Division for material misrepresentation. Garcia said until there is a final and executory decision by the Comelec, the names of all candidates would be on the ballots. The petitions against Teodoro were separately filed by Sen. Aquilino Pimentel III, who is also running for congressman in Marikina's First District and Leighrich James Estanislao, and Katrina Mari Faye Marco, Angelu Estanislao, and Ma. Luisa de Guzman. Earlier, Garcia said the Commission can only remove a candidate's name from the ballot if the en banc's decision becomes final and executory with a corresponding certificate of finality. But he also pointed out that the en banc could reverse the division's decision if the respondent can present new arguments or evidence in his motion for reconsideration. Garcia said that in view of the almost three weeks delay in the printing of ballots, the en banc would aim for the printing of 1.5 million ballots per day, using the 2 HP printers of Miru Systems and the four Canon printers of the National Printing Office (NPO), which the Comelec has deputized to speed its production. Garcia said that both the HP and Canon printers are expected to produce at least 750,000 ballots per day for a combined target of 1.5 million ballots. He expressed confidence that despite the almost three weeks delay in printing, they would still be able to meet the 77-day timeline or until April 28.
Tomas Kauer - Moderator 
THE Commission on Elections (Comelec) will prioritize the printing of ballots and distribution of all election paraphernalia by region, starting from the farthest.
Chairman George Erwin Garcia made this known Monday as the Comelec resumed the printing of 73 million ballots for the May 12 national and local elections and the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) parliamentary polls. Printing was suspended on Jan. 14 after the Supreme Court issued temporary restraining orders to stop the poll body from disqualifying a number of candidates.
Garcia on Monday said candidates who are still awaiting a final decision on their disqualification cases or motions for reconsideration from the Comelec en banc are still included in the official ballots.
Among the candidates with pending motions and disqualifications is incumbent Marikina City Mayor Marcelino Teodoro, whose certificate of candidacy for congressman was earlier canceled by the Comelec Second Division for material misrepresentation.
Garcia said until there is a final and executory decision by the Comelec, the names of all candidates would be on the ballots.
The petitions against Teodoro were separately filed by Sen. Aquilino Pimentel III, who is also running for congressman in Marikina's First District and Leighrich James Estanislao, and Katrina Mari Faye Marco, Angelu Estanislao, and Ma. Luisa de Guzman.
Earlier, Garcia said the Commission can only remove a candidate's name from the ballot if the en banc's decision becomes final and executory with a corresponding certificate of finality.
But he also pointed out that the en banc could reverse the division's decision if the respondent can present new arguments or evidence in his motion for reconsideration.
Garcia said that in view of the almost three weeks delay in the printing of ballots, the en banc would aim for the printing of 1.5 million ballots per day, using the 2 HP printers of Miru Systems and the four Canon printers of the National Printing Office (NPO), which the Comelec has deputized to speed its production.
Garcia said that both the HP and Canon printers are expected to produce at least 750,000 ballots per day for a combined target of 1.5 million ballots.
He expressed confidence that despite the almost three weeks delay in printing, they would still be able to meet the 77-day timeline or until April 28.
