Comelec to retain order of party-list groups in ballot printing

MANILA, Philippines — The Commission on Elections (Comelec) on Wednesday said that it will maintain the order of party-list groups that would reflect on the official ballots for the May 2019 midterm elections as raffled last December.

The poll body said that if the party-list group is declared disqualified, the numbering of other groups behind it would not be affected.

READ: Comelec releases initial order of party-list groups

“After due deliberation, the Commission En Banc resolved to maintain the numbers as raffled in the event that Party-List Groups with pending incidents ultimately be denied accreditation,” the Comelec said in a statement.

“The number sequence for those Party-List Groups allowed to participate in the May 13 polls will also be retained,” the commission added.

“Those Party-List groups and their respective raffled numbers adjudged as disqualified to participate in the 2019 NLE will be cancelled,” it added. NLE stands for the National and Local Elections that is set on May 13, 2019.

Comelec targets to start the printing of ballots for the midterm elections by the third week of January.

The official list of candidates for the said elections is also expected to be out before January 23.

READ: Comelec to release list of candidates before Jan. 23

Last December, the Comelec conducted an election raffle to determine the order of names that would be printed for the upcoming elections.

Militant group Bayan Muna took the top spot while Mocha Uson’s AA-Kasosyo (Kasosyo Producer Consumer Exchange Association Inc.) landed on the 134th spot.

Other party-list groups that failed to send a representative were listed alphabetically after Uson’s party. /ee

READ: Bayan Muna gets No. 1 slot among party-list groups on ballot