The Commission on Elections (Comelec) is concerned that new temporary restraining orders (TROs) from the Supreme Court could further delay the printing of ballots for the May elections.
As of the weekend, about 6 million ballots had been printed, but the court had ordered the restoration of certain candidates’ names, including senatorial candidate Subair Mustapha.
Printing is set to resume on January 22, and Comelec Chairman George Garcia warned that any TROs issued after that date would severely affect the election preparations.
The Comelec has been adjusting its systems to include Mustapha’s name, which involves changes to databases, election management systems, and automated counting machines.
Garcia emphasized that the printing process had already been delayed by more than two weeks due to previous TROs and expressed hope that no additional legal orders would further disrupt the schedule.
Source: PhilNews24 | January 20, 2025
