The Commission on Elections (Comelec) said it is investigating the disposal of training ballots used in Manila at a site in Cavite as these should have been kept by teachers who served as electoral board members in the last May polls.
Commissioner George Garcia in an interview on ABS-CBN TeleRadyo said “we’re just finding out why F2 Logistics, our provider, also brought those items from Tondo to Cavite, and why it was dumped there.”
According to Garcia the election officer of Manila City “has explained that the items found to have been discarded in Amadeo were ballots used during the training, and final testing and sealing process ahead of the actual voting day.”
Garcia said the ballots used by voters on May 9 are “properly accounted.” The ballots, stored at the Manila City Treasurer’s Office, can be used in case of electoral protests, he said
The official said training ballots used by teachers during their preparation are not collected by the Comelec anymore.
“Ballots used during the training and final sealing and testing should be in the custody of teachers because, remember, the final sealing and testing is being done in precincts,” Garcia said, in the radio interview. “Therefore, these should be in the custody of our electoral boards.
We’re wondering why these fell into the hands of F2 Logistics when these should be in the precincts, or if not, in the principal’s office after they were used.
Garcia did not disclose who should be held liable so as not to preempt the Comelec investigation. However, he said custodians of those documented should be identified and asked “to explain” why those were passed on to the logistics provider.
The F2 Logistics is also being asked to explain, to be able to find out if they picked up the document and dropped off those, Garcia said.
Garcia said the Comelec is treating this case as a “serious issue”
The May 9 polls national and local elections posted a voter turnout of 83.11 percent, the Comelec earlier said
