The Commission on Elections (Comelec) flags pre-shaded ballots in Maluso, Basilan during the first Bangsamoro Parliamentary elections, saying 36 of the town’s 68 precincts have “compromised” ballots. Comelec Chairperson George Erwin Garcia announces the finding at the start of early voting hours on Monday, and says Basilan town is placed under Comelec control. He also says Comelec already knows details on who carried out the pre-shading, though it does not publicly identify suspects in the reports.
After the ballot incident, polling is suspended in the affected precincts and later resumes. Comelec says the voting period remains scheduled from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., with Maluso voting in the 36 precincts restarting at 7 a.m. on Tuesday. The Comelec also orders reprinted official ballots to be distributed to electoral board members, and in some reports says it may extend voting in affected precincts until Sept. 15 while reprinted ballots arrive.
Several outlets report Comelec logistical and investigative steps. GMA News says the pre-shaded ballots are brought to Comelec in Manila for investigation, while other reports add that Comelec intends to charge the perpetrators after the Commission en banc returns. The same accounts also note that the reprinted ballots are shipped through airports and delivered to Maluso and related election officials.
