MANILA: The Commission on Elections (Comelec) will use excess ballot papers from the May elections for the barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) polls in October.
Comelec Chairman Sixto Brillantes said they were able to cut down the election expenses as a result of this.
“We initially set it to be bid out, but we learned that there were excess papers so we were able to save a bit in the cost of ballot paper,” he said. The Comelec has previously approved a P148-million budget for the purchase of ballot papers for the Barangay and SK elections.
A few weeks ago, the Comelec issued a resolution ordering the Bids and Awards Committee (BAC) to leave out the bidding for the procurement of ballot papers for the October 28 polls. Meanwhile, Brillantes doubted allegations that ballots are being printed in Quezon City long after the May elections.
Without preempting the results of the Comelec probe, Brillantes said the allegations of former Comelec official Melchor Magdamo is a highly unlikely occurrence.
The Philippine Star
