No VIP treatment extended to former VP Binay – Comelec

MANILA, Philippines- No special treatment was extended to former vice president Jejomar Binay when an official from the Commission on Elections (Comelec) assisted him back to his polling precinct after his first ballot was rejected by a vote counting machine (VCM) Monday morning.

This was the statement of Comelec Spokesperson James Jimenez after netizens called out the the poll body for assisting Binay, a Congressional candidate in Makati’s first district.

“There was no special treatment in the sense that nothing was given to him that isn’t given to everyone else,” Jimenez said in a press briefing.

CITIZEN JOJO. Former Vice President Jejomar Binay shakes the hand of Comelec Spokesperson James Jimenez after the issue of his VCM-rejected ballot was settled. CATHY MIRANDA / INQUIRER.net

Comelec Director Frances Arabe also explained that Binay’s original ballot got partially soiled when it dropped to the ground after people swarmed around the VCM at the San Antonio National High School in Barangay San Antonio, Makati.

READ: VCM rejects ex-VP Binay’s ballot; to file complaint at Comelec

Jimenez earlier said that Binay’s ballot was rejected due to a VCM malfunction.

“Initial reports had it that he was not allowed to feed the ballot anymore after eight tries. Upon investigation, nakita natin na ang problema pala ay nasa machine (We found out that the problem was with the VCM),” Jimenez said.

READ: BREAK: Comelec: VCM malfunctioned, ex-VP Binay’s ballot to be refed

Apart from Binay, 50 other voters experienced the same problem in the same precinct.

“There were around 49 more — total of 51 ballots were re-fed into the machine. As for the ballot of VP Binay, it was found to be dirty,” Arabe said.

“So the electoral board decided to replace his ballot along with other voters. He was allowed to fill out another ballot,” she added.

Arabe also clarified the one voter, one ballot policy.

READ: Comelec: One voter, one ballot

According to Arabe, Binay is exempted from the rule given that it was not his fault that his ballot was rejected by the VCM.  (Editor: Gilbert S. Gaviola)