Ex-VP Binay gets fresh ballot, finally casts vote in Makati

Former Vice President Jejomar ‘Jojo’ Binay (right) shakes the hand of Comelec Spokesperson after the poll body agreed to assist the Makati congressional candidate after a vote counting machine rejected his ballot in Makati City on Monday, May 13, 2019, INQUIRER.NET / CATHY MIRANDA

MANILA, Philippines – Former Vice President Jejomar Binay was all smiles as he was finally able to cast his vote, two hours after his ballot was rejected by the vote counting machine (VCM) in his polling precinct in Makati City.

Special treatment was given to Binay after election officers decided to give another copy of a ballot to him at about 10:15 a.m, after the new VCM still rejected his original ballot.

Binay said he agreed on the instructions “para mawala rin yung agam-agam ko, dahil baka may mangyari pa sa [boto ko].”

The original VCM at his precinct at Room NB 304 at San Antonio National High School was replaced by a new one around 9 a.m. after it malfunctioned when it was Binay’s turn to cast his vote.

LOOK: Ex-VP Jejomar Binay’s right index finger was inked after he successfully cast his vote today. His wife Elenita, & children Nancy, Junjun & Anne, were also registered voters at the same precinct. @inquirerdotnet pic.twitter.com/HI2trFDcLk

— Dexter Cabalza (@dexcabalzaINQ) May 13, 2019

He said he was “satisfied” with how the Commission on Elections handled his complaint, with Comelec Education and Information director Frances Arabe escorting him straight from the Philippine International Convention Center in Pasay City.

“Mabuti na lang at human rights lawyer ako. Pagka prinsipyo [ang nakataya], laban tayo,” he told reporters after he cast his vote, showing his inked index right finger.

Gina Iligan, school principal and election board supervisor, explained the original VCM bogged down at around 7:30 a.m. when members of the media “accidentally pressed on it,” eventually jamming the ballots of Binay and others after him.

Binay was visibly irked and disappointed after the original VCM did not accept his ballot after eight attempts. The board of election inspectors and election officers at his precinct that time could not explain why his vote was rejected.

READ: VCM rejects ex-VP Binay’s ballot

“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 [sa eleksyon],” he said. (Editor: Cenon B. Bibe Jr.)