Comelec begins disposal of 'useless' 2025 ballots

The Commission of Elections (Comelec) on Thursday said it has started the disposal of the official printed ballots for the 2025 Midterm Elections that were rendered "useless" by a temporary restraining order issued by the Supreme Court in connection with a disqualification case.

In a social media post, the poll agency said it is now conducting an inventory of all printed official ballots.

Afterwards all official ballots from the National Printing Office will be prepared, packed and transported to the Comelec warehouse in Sta. Rosa, Laguna.

The printed ballots would then be disposed in accordance with the guidelines to be set by the Comelec.

On Tuesday, Comelec suspended the printing of the ballots amid a Supreme Court ruling stopping the poll body from disqualifying former Caloocan City representative Edgar Erice and other aspirants from running in the May elections.

According to Comelec chairperson George Garcia, each ballot costs P22 apiece, which means the six million ballots cost around P132 million.

While there is a two-week delay in the printing of ballots, which deadline is set on April 14, Garcia said the 2025 elections will still proceed on schedule on May 12.—Mariel Celine Serquiña/RF, GMA Integrated News