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Jean Mangaluz - Philstar.com
May 12, 2025 | 12:47pm
Voters flock to San Jose Elementary School in Caloocan City to cast their votes in the Midterm Elections on May 12, 2025.
Philstar.com / Jean Mangaluz
MANILA, Philippines — Several sample ballots were distributed to voters near a Caloocan City polling site on Election Day, in violation of Commission on Elections (Comelec) rules.
While printing sample ballots is permitted, they must not be presented as official Comelec materials. Copies of the ballots reached Philstar.com.
Distributing sample ballots on Election Day constitutes campaigning, which is prohibited after the campaign period ends.
The campaign period concluded on May 11.
Some of the sample ballots being distributed near San Jose Elementary in Caloocan City on Election Day.
Jean Mangaluz/ Philstar.com
“Illegal campaigning po. Ang pamimigay po ng campaign material, and that includes sample ballots, ay campaigning po. And prohibited po ang campaigning,” Comelec spokesperson Rex Laudiangco told reporters.
(It is illegal campaigning. The giving of campaign materials, and that includes sample ballots, is campaigning. Campaigning is prohibited.)
One of the sample ballots distributed near San Jose Elementary School bore the logo of the National Printing Office, the agency responsible for printing official election ballots.
A sample ballot being distributed near San Jose Elementary School in Caloocan City has the logo of the National Printing Office.
Jean Mangaluz/ Philstar.com
— with reports from Cristina Chi
