Photo by Nestor Corrales/INQUIRER,net
MANILA, Philippines – Even after eight attempts, the vote counting machine (VCM) rejected the ballot of former Vice President Jejomar Binay.
Binay left his precinct at the at the San Antonio National High School after casting his vote at around 7:35 a.m.
“Sobrang disappointment ko. Disappointed ako” a visibly irked Binay told reporters outside his polling precinct.
“Walong beses nag try. Galit ako. Galit ako.” he added.
Binay added that the ballot given to the voter ahead of him had marks.
“So considered marked ballot,” he said.
Asked why his ballot was rejected, Binay said the election officer at the precinct could not explain.
“Di nila alam, basta rejected. Sabi ko, ‘bakit rejected?’ Wala namang mark yan.’ Paano na?’” he said.
He said the election officer told him his vote would no longer be counted.
He said he was now doubting the integrity of the midterm elections.
“Yung boto ko, deprived ako, dahil sa sinasabing rejected ng makina? Mali naman ata yun. Dapat merong papalitan yun, di ba? Mukhang nagdududa na ako,” he said.
“Kaya ako nagdududa, kasi noong nakaraang halalan, ang taktika naman noon, winala ang pangalan ko kasi alam ng mga nangangasiwa rito na marami ang boboto na laban sa kanilang kandidato,” he added.
He questioned why there was an error in reading his ballot.
“Bakit wala silang option? Bkit wala silang ginawa? Wala namang dahilan para magkamali in the first place. baligtaran tinitingnan nila. wala namang violation sa aking pagkakamali,” he said.
Binay said he was going to the Commission on Elections (Comelec) to file a complaint after the VCM did not read his ballot.
“Pupunta ako ngayon sa Comelec. Magrereklamo ako. hindi tama ito. hindi pwedeng, napakahina naman ng forecast nila… bakit hindi naman nila inisip na kapag nareject nang walang kasalanan ang voter?” he said. (Editor: Mike U. Frialde)