Comelec to investigate pre-shaded ballots in BARMM polls

MANILA, Philippines – The Commission on Elections (Comelec) is investigating the reported pre-shaded ballots during the first Bangsamoro Parliamentary Elections, Comelec Chair George Garcia said during a media briefing on Wednesday. 

Comelec said it discovered more than 16,000 pre-shaded ballots in 36 of 69 precincts in Maluso, Basilan, on Sept. 14. Upon discovering the ballots, the commission immediately stopped their distribution and ordered their retrieval.

According to Garcia, Comelec is currently following the “chain of custody” to investigate the people involved in the incident.

While the commission may have guesses about who was involved, Garcia said it is still following protocol and due process by first issuing subpoenas to possible persons involved.

“Last week, we already issued subpoenas. They will answer or explain what really happened in the precincts,” Garcia said.

He noted, however, that issuing a subpoena does not automatically mean that a person is guilty or being accused.

People involved in the case could face electoral sabotage under Republic Act No. 9369, or the Automated Election System Law.

Under the law, tampering with, increasing or decreasing votes, or refusing to credit or deduct tampered votes may constitute electoral sabotage when the total votes involved exceed 10,000. The offense carries a penalty of life imprisonment.

The commission, through its law department, will continue building the case to identify the people involved, followed by a formal preliminary investigation.

If the findings indicate a proper case, Comelec would file it with the higher court, directly with the Department of Justice, according to Garcia.

Because 36 ballot boxes contained more than 16,000 pre-shaded ballots in total, Comelec suspects more than one person was involved.

“If you look at the ballot boxes, they are vacuum-sealed and are not ordinary boxes; they aren’t easily damaged. Therefore, removing the plastic wrapping and opening them would be a rather lengthy process,” Garcia said.

“That is why tampering with 16,000 ballots wouldn’t be the work of just one person—it would take around fifteen people.”

The commission aims to finish the investigation before candidacies are filed for the 2028 national and local elections in September 2027.