Comelec wants printing of ballots to start Jan. 17

Comelec spokesperson James Jimenez. (File photo from Philippine Daily Inquirer)

MANILA, Philippines — The Commission on Elections (Comelec) has pushed to Jan. 15 the release of the final list of candidates for the May 9 elections, according to Comelec spokesperson James Jimenez.

“Our estimate is to finish the final ballot faces or final list of candidates by Jan.15 and we hope to be able to start printing by Jan. 17,” Jimenez said at a press briefing.

The Comelec released a tentative list of candidates last Dec. 24 and said the final list would be released on Jan. 7, but the commission had yet to resolve petitions, such as cancellations of certificates of candidacies and nuisance candidates.

So far, the tentative list for national positions has 10 candidates for president, nine candidates for vice president, 64 for senator, and a record 177 party-list groups.

Comelec had tentatively accredited 166 party-list groups, but included 12 rejected party-list groups that secured a restraining order from the Supreme Court.

On Tuesday, Comelec excluded the Malasakit Movement Inc. from the official list of party-list candidates. “They were unable to prove that they were representing marginalized, underrepresented sectors,” Jimenez said, adding that the group can still appeal their exclusion before the Supreme Court.

The Malasakit Movement, led by former Metro Manila Development Authority spokesperson Celine Pialago, said it will contest the Comelec decision and exhaust all possible means.