A post on Facebook (FB) is criticizing the Commission on Elections (Comelec) for “wasting” millions of pesos as it shredded six million ballots for the May 12 elections. This needs context. The disposal of the ballots was in compliance with a Supreme Court ruling.
Published on Jan. 25, an FB user published the post which read:
“Comelec just wasted ₱132M worth of ballots. VP Sara’s 2022 Confi Funds was only ₱125M. Tell me what the f**k is wrong with this country.”
Discarding the ballots is not due to any perceived failure on the commission’s part, contrary to what the post implies. The Comelec had to shred six million printed ballots – which cost P22 each – due to rulings by the Supreme Court (SC) issuing temporary restraining orders on the disqualification of several electoral candidates.
The SC decisions are “immediately executory,” according to Comelec Chair George Erwin Garcia in a Jan. 15 press conference, prompting the disposal.
Read the full story on VERA Files Fact Check.
