Comelec checkpoints set up this weekend
ELECTIONS chairman George Garcia yesterday said checkpoints will be put up nationwide starting this weekend as the election period for the May 2025 national, local and Bangsamoro parliamentary polls kicks off on January 12.
“As early as January 11, the checkpoints will already be (put up by) the (Commission on Elections), including those the Philippine National Police (PNP),” Garcia said in an interview with the media.
Aside from enhancing security matters during elections, he said the checkpoints will also be placed to instill peace and order nationwide.
“These (checkpoints) will not just be for firearms and other deadly weapon. We want to establish the fact that we want the elections to be orderly,” he said.
In addition, the poll chief said the checkpoints will be helpful to the Comelec in properly assessing the security situations in various parts of the country.
“Our assessment will be better in terms of seeing the need to place an area under Comelec Control or place an area under red or green category,” said Garcia.
Under Comelec Resolution No. 10999, the Election Period will be from January 12, 2025 (Sunday) to June 11, 2025 (Wednesday).
During this period, the bearing, carrying, or transporting of firearms or other deadly weapons are prohibited.
Likewise prohibited are the organization or maintenance of reaction forces, strike forces, or similar forces, and the use of security personnel or bodyguards by candidates.
‘SIGNIFICANT CHALLENGES’
PNP chief Gen. Rommel Francisco Marbil yesterday said this year’s polls will bring “significant challenges” to the police force, which he said will play a critical role in ensuring the peaceful and orderly conduct of the elections.
“Our role in ensuring peace and order during this critical period for the country will not be easy,” Marbil said during the flag raising ceremony at the PNP national headquarters at Camp Crame.
As they go about their work, he urged policemen to maintain their dignity and integrity and to “remain steadfast in our sworn duty to act fairly and above all to uphold our dignity as law enforcers” during the elections.
“Our dignity as police officers is one of our most valuable assets. Let us not allow anyone to take it from us for no one has the right to do so,” he said.
“We must protect our integrity and never allow it to be compromised by temptation or undue influence. Our dignity forms the very foundation of the trust the public places in us,” he added.
The PNP started security preparations for the elections a few months back to ensure that the polls will be honest, orderly and peaceful.
During a command conference at Camp Crame in December, President Marcos Jr. ordered the PNP to intensify its campaign against loose firearms and to dismantle private armed groups to create a secure and peaceful environment for the elections.
“As we begin 2025, it is our aspiration to regain and strengthen the respect of the public for our ranks, respect that is borne not out of fear but out of trust and pride,” Marbil said.
He said there will be a “profound sense of fulfilment and pride as public servants” on the part of the PNP if people will look up to policemen with confidence and admiration.
“This is something we must preserve and nurture in our service,” he said, adding, “as we begin this year, let us strive to improve our service. Let us give them the best public service. Let us continue to work together, united in our mission toward the realization of a Bagong Pilipinas, a nation where every police officer stands as a symbol of hope, peace and justice.”
BALLOT PRINTING
Moments after the kick-off of the ballot printing activity at the National Printing Office (NPO) yesterday, the Comelec expressed confidence it will be able to meet its self-imposed deadline of April 14 to complete the printing of the 73 million official ballots for the May polls.
In a press briefing, Garcia said: “In our long history, when it comes to ballot printing, there has been no instance of us not being able to meet the deadline.”
Data provided by the Comelec show that it will be printing a total of 68,697,596 ballots for the national and local polls; 2,378,992 ballots for the Bangsamoro parliamentary elections; and 1,043,450 testing ballots.
A total of 1,006 precinct-specific official ballot-face templates will be used by the Comelec during the printing of the ballots.
According to the Comelec’s service provider, Miru Systems, the two HP PageWide Advantage 2200 machines they provided to the NPO is capable of printing 950,000 ballots per day.
The new printers from Miru includes an automated in-line system that spans 22 meters, with the rolls of paper fed into the machine coming out already cut and stacked for each precinct, thereby making the verification process for ballots much easier.
Garcia said the poll body has prepared contingency measures in case they are not able to meet the printing deadline.
“Our contingency measure is the printers of the NPO. Those are four printers put on standby and made available at any time, just in case,” said Garcia.
He said this is also the reason why they decided to begin printing the ballots earlier than in previous elections.
“If we start early, even if we get delayed, we will still meet our timeline,” he said.
Asked what would happen if they don’t meet the deadline, he said it will cause delays in the deployment of official ballots.
First in line for the printing are the ballots for overseas voting, local absentee voting, test ballots, and those for the Bangsamoro region.
The last ones will be those for the National Capital Region “since they are the nearest,” Garcia said. – With Victor Reyes
