Virgilio Lorenzo Jr

Comelec tells candidates to be wary of scam offering 'pre-shaded ballots'

Article (news)

Johnson Manabat

ABS-CBN News

MANILA — The Commission on Elections on Wednesday said there is a scam targeting candidates which supposedly guarantees their victory in the polls through ballots that have already been secretly shaded. Comelec Chairman George Erwin Garcia said according to the scheme, the pre-shaded ballots would nullify votes for the opposing candidate. &quot;Kasi tehnically dalawa ang shade - isang invisible shade saka yung shade na ginawa ng botante,&quot; Garcia said. According to Commissioner Nelson Celis, the Comelec has a security feature to safeguard the integrity of ballots, and the entire election process. &quot;Meron kaming bagong security feature na ginawa dito sa Comelec. Meron kaming hybridized system. Ibig sabihin, pagkatapos ng counting ng makina, yung 14 inch monitor, idi-display lahat balota na scanned. Ibig sabihin, pwede kunan ng picture at video, pwede manual counting. Mahirap madaya ang election because of this hybridized counting natin,&quot; Celis explained.  Commissioner Aimee Ferolino reminded candidates not to patronize this kind of offer saying there is no such thing as &quot;sure win&quot; in any election. &quot;Sana wala ng ibang ma-convince ang mga taong ito. No such thing as added layer of assurance for a candidate to win. Nasa tao nakasalalay kung manalo o matalo,&quot; according to Ferolino.<div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/2/12/legal-or-illegal-election-lawyer-explains-authorized-campaign-moves-1056">Legal or illegal? Election lawyer explains authorized campaign moves</a></div><div>&#x27;USE BIODEGRADABLE CAMPAIGN MATERIALS&#x27;</div>Comelec reminded all candidates to use biodegradable materials in their campaign posters. Garcia explained, aside from cloth, and paper, there are tarpaulins that use biodegradable materials. “Kapag ang tarpaulin gawa sa pure plastic hindi natin papayagan yan sapagkat yan ay non-biodegradable materials. Pero ngayon may mga tarpaulin na gawa sa plastic pero biodegradable - yun pupuwedeng ingredients sa paggawa ng mga tarpaulin natin” Garcia explained. The commission according to Garcia will no longer conduct “Oplan Baklas” and instead it will send written notices to candidates who will violate rules on campaign materials and common poster areas. Garcia said, violators will be given 3 days to remove their campaign materials posted illegally and if the candidate will not comply, the commission will then issue show cause order for them to explain. According to Garcia, based on monitoring, there are 5 senatorial candidates who continuously violate guidelines on proper posting of campaign paraphernalia. He however refused to name names. &quot;Ayaw ko muna sabihin pero may listahan kami sa bawat regions ng violators. Naka-classify pa. Mga 5 ang senatorial candidates na talagang consistent sa bawat region ay may violations,&quot; Garcia said.Meantime, the two new Comelec commissioners joined their colleagues in the en banc session on Wednesday, February 12. Commissioner Noli Pipo, took his oath of office before Garcia. Commissioner Maria Norina Casingal was also present during the oath taking ceremony.<div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/2/10/marcos-appoints-2-new-comelec-commissioners-ahead-of-may-elections-2232">Marcos appoints 2 new Comelec commissioners ahead of May elections</a></div>According to Garcia, the decision of president Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to appoint Casingal and Pipo who are both insiders is a reflection of how the president valued the services of Comelec personnel. Commissioner Rey Bulay meanwhile appealed to the public not to immediately judge its new commissioners and let them prove their worth. “Sana po bigyan nyo kami ng tsansa sa choice na ito, bigyan nyo  muna ng tsnang maprove yung worth ng dalawa naming bagong commisisoner. Ako po tataya ng piso tamang barko dun sa dalawa,” Bulay said.

The Comelec said there is a scam targeting candidates which supposedly guarantees their victory in the polls through pre-shaded ballots.

The Comelec said there is a scam targeting candidates which supposedly guarantees their victory in the polls through pre-shaded ballots.