Workers conduct the the Final Testing and Sealing (FTS) of Ballots, Local Absentee Voting (LAV) Ballots, Overseas Voting (OV) Ballots, Official Ballots (OB) for Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) and CARAGA, BARMM Parliamentary Election Ballots, and Mock Election Ballots at the National Printing Office, North Diliman, Quezon City on January 15, 2025. Maria Tan, ABS-CBN News

Workers conduct the the Final Testing and Sealing (FTS) of Ballots, Local Absentee Voting (LAV) Ballots, Overseas Voting (OV) Ballots, Official Ballots (OB) for Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) and CARAGA, BARMM Parliamentary Election Ballots, and Mock Election Ballots at the National Printing Office, North Diliman, Quezon City on January 15, 2025. The Commission on Elections has suspended the printing of ballots for the May elections to give way to the inclusion of names of five local candidates rejected earlier by the Comelec but ordered reinstated by the Supreme Court. Maria Tan, ABS-CBN News

Natioanl printing office- ballot

Dennis Gasgonia

ABS-CBN News

<div><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/173850208089520250115-ballot-printing-npo-MT-06.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" alt="Workers conduct the the Final Testing and Sealing (FTS) of Ballots, Local Absentee Voting (LAV) Ballots, Overseas Voting (OV) Ballots, Official Ballots (OB) for Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) and CARAGA, BARMM Parliamentary Election Ballots, and Mock Election Ballots at the National Printing Office, North Diliman, Quezon City on January 15, 2025. Maria Tan, ABS-CBN News"/>Workers conduct the the Final Testing and Sealing (FTS) of Ballots, Local Absentee Voting (LAV) Ballots, Overseas Voting (OV) Ballots, Official Ballots (OB) for Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) and CARAGA, BARMM Parliamentary Election Ballots, and Mock Election Ballots at the National Printing Office, North Diliman, Quezon City on January 15, 2025. Maria Tan, ABS-CBN News</div>MANILA -- President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. should consider appointing an election commissioner recommended by the opposition to ensure parity during elections, said Atty. Romulo Macalintal.The veteran election lawyer said in an interview on Teleradyo Serbisyo that having a COMELEC commissioner representing the opposition will help lessen the legal hassles the election body have been facing lately.&quot;Sinabi nga ni (former) chief justice Artemio Panganiban na for the first time, ngayon lamang nagkaroon ng ganitong desisyon ang COMELEC na nagkakaroon ng TRO mula sa Korte Suprema,&quot; said Macalintal.He cited that at least two COMELEC seats will be vacated soon, giving the President the opportunity to appoint new elections officials.&quot;Sana naman ang isa sa mga iyon ay manggaling sa recommendation ng mga taga oposisyon... Bigyang consideration ni Pangulong Marcos yung mga taga oposisyon na mag-recommend ng Comelec,&quot; said Macalintal.The election lawyer said Marcos Jr.&#x27;s father, Ferdinand Sr., did the same back in 1984 when he appointed somebody nominated by the opposition.&quot;Dahil maraming nagsasabi (noon) na sana naman pantay pantay at makakasiguro tayo na alam din ng taong bayan kung ano ang nangyayari sa COMELEC,&quot; he said.Macalintal said the COMELEC is apparently leaning to promote somebody from their rank and file, but he said that there are young election lawyers competent enough to fill in the vacancy. &quot;May mga bata tayong election lawyers na maayos naman at napakagaling din. Maari mong ikumpara ang kanilang mga karanasan sa mga incumbent na employees na maaring maappoint dyan,&quot; he said.  &quot;At least kung kay Pangulong Marcos na manggagaling, &#x27;O sige para patunayan sa inyo ang ating halalan ay magiging independent, magiging impartial walang kinakampihan, maglagay tayo ng rekomendasyon ng oposition para maging bantay, watch dog natin siya.&#x27;&quot;The Supreme Court has issued several temporary restraining orders that virtually reversed some of COMELEC&#x27;s decisions.These include the petition for substitution in the list of candidates in Limay, Bataan they earlier dismissed; the ruling favoring Aldrin Sta. Ana&#x27;s candidacy for Bocaue mayor that were earlier canceled by the poll body; and the disqualification of several more candidates that was later prohibited by the High Court.This led to the repeated delays of the printing of ballots for the 2025 election.&quot;For the first time ang sabi ng Chief Justice Panganiban na dapat tumigil na sa pangaabuso sa kanilang katungkulan ang COMCLEC,&quot; said Macalintal.&quot;Napakabigat ng statement na iyon. Abusive, whimsical ang actions daw ng Commission on Elections. Ngayon lang ako nakakita ng ganyang dating chief justice na talagang dinescribe niya ang COMELEC na ganyan.&quot;<div>RELATED VIDEO:</div><div><script data-wid="auto" type="text/javascript" src="https://content.viralize.tv/display/?zid=AAEyze-tm4MR6kEa&amp;cid=ABT0fwV1GS7hi4rl&amp;activation=click&amp;vip_mode=playing&amp;vip_position=bottom-right"></script></div>

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. should consider appointing an election commissioner recommended by the opposition to ensure parity during elections, said Atty. Romulo Macalintal

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. should consider appointing an election commissioner recommended by the opposition to ensure parity during elections, said Atty. Romulo Macalintal

Marcos Jr. should appoint COMELEC commissioner recommended by opposition, says election lawyer | ABS-CBN

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Marcos Jr. should appoint COMELEC commissioner recommended by opposition, says election lawyer

Marcos Jr. should appoint COMELEC commissioner recommended by opposition, says election lawyer

Dennis Gasgonia,

ABS-CBN News

Published Feb 02, 2025 09:31 PM PHT

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COMELEC

Romulo Macalintal

Halalan 2025

Election

Commissioners

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Ferdinand Marcos Jr

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