The Commission on Elections (Comelec) has allowed candidates and supporters to distribute sample ballots for the 2025 national and local elections, so long as they don’t indicate the official seal of the poll body.
Comelec chairman George Garcia said this in an ambush interview on Friday, stressing that those found using Comelec’s logo may face necessary sanctions.
“Hindi naman po namin ipo-prohibit o ipagbabawal ‘yung makakatulong sa voters education, ‘yung makakatulong na magkaron ng kaalaman ‘yung mga kababayan natin. Huwag na huwag lang palalabasin na kung ano ang pinamimigay at pinamamahagi niyo ay galing sa Comelec,” Garcia said.
(We will not prohibit those that can help in voter education and those that can give knowledge to our countrymen. But don’t make it appear that what you’re distributing comes from the Comelec.)
“Iwasan nalang natin gumamit ng logo ng Comelec dahil hindi naman sa inyo ‘yun, sa amin ‘yun eh. So bakit pati logo ng Comelec gagayahin niyo pa. Kung gusto niyo gayahin niyo ang sample ballots, wala kaming problema,” he added.
(Don’t use the Comelec logo because that’s not yours to use. If you want to copy the sample ballots, we have no problem with that as long as they don’t have our logo.)
Garcia assured the public that these sample ballots could not be used in the actual elections, as the official ballots contain security features that only the automated counting machines could read.
He also reminded candidates and supporters who will be distributing such sample ballots not to do it a day before the May 12 elections and on election day itself.
“At huwag na huwag nating gagamitin ang mga bata kasi ginagamit ang mga bata dahil nga raw walang criminal liability,” Garcia said.
(Don’t also use the children only because they don’t have a criminal liability.) —Giselle Ombay/RF, GMA Integrated News
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