The Commission on Elections (Comelec) has suspended the printing of 73 million ballots for the May 12 elections following a Supreme Court-issued temporary restraining order (TRO) on the disqualification of five candidates, including former Caloocan Rep. Edgar Erice.
Comelec spokesperson John Rex Laudiangco confirmed the poll body’s compliance with the order, which delays the electoral process and necessitates changes to its Election Management System and ballot database.
The affected ballots will be reprinted once the necessary adjustments are made, incurring additional costs and potential delays.
The Supreme Court also directed the Comelec to submit comments on the petitions filed by the candidates, who challenged their earlier disqualification as nuisance or unqualified aspirants.
Despite the disruptions, Comelec assures the public that contingency measures are in place to address the impact on the electoral timeline.
Source: PhilNews24 | January 15, 2025
