MANILA, Philippines — The pre-shaded ballots flagged in Maluso, Basilan, during the first Bangsamoro parliamentary elections will be brought to the Commission on Elections (Comelec) main office for investigation, the poll body said Tuesday.
The move was ordered in a memorandum issued by Comelec Executive Director Teopisto Elnas to Senior Staff Monitor in Basilan Director Vergil Juan Soriano and Acting Provincial Election Supervisor Atty. Miguel Roberto Dela Peña.
Dela Peña was ordered to turn over the ballots to Soriano.
READ: Comelec flags pre-shaded, compromised ballots in 36 Basilan precincts
“Dir. Soriano is further instructed to bring the pre-shaded ballots to the Main Office of the Commission, Intramuros, Manila not later than Sept. 17, 2026 and submit it to the Law Department, for the conduct of an investigation on the matter,” the memorandum read.
The order came after the Comelec flagged that 36 of 68 precincts in Maluso, Basilan, were already pre-shaded and compromised. The incident delayed the elections in the town, prompting the Comelec to order the reprinting of more than 16,000 ballots at the National Printing Office in Quezon City.
READ: Comelec to charge culprits in Basilan pre-shaded ballots for BARMM polls
The ballots were delivered from Zamboanga to Basilan around 9:30 p.m. Monday. The elections resumed in the town on Tuesday.
Comelec Chairperson George Erwin Garcia said Tuesday that the poll body would file a case against the individuals behind the incident. He added the poll body already identified the culprits. /mcm
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