The Commission on Elections has suspended the printing of ballots for the October 31 barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan polls after President Duterte said he is in favor of moving the elections for fear that drug money would influence its outcome.
However, Comelec spokesperson James Jimenez said printing will resume if Congress fails to pass a law or resolution postponing the elections by September 1.
“If by September 1, we still have no confirmation of postponement, we will resume printing,” Jimenez said.
Jimenez said the Comelec believes suspending the printing of ballots is a prudent course of action. “It was considered a prudent course of action considering both House and the Senate had already expressed similar leanings,” he said.
Before printing was suspended, the Comelec has printed around 411,000 ballots for the village elections for Agusan del Norte and Agusan del Sur.
The Comelec started printing the ballots at the National Printing Office in Quezon City last August 21.
The Comelec set the printing of ballots for SK on September 1. A total of 85 million ballots are set to be printed for the October polls. (Leslie Ann G. Aquino)