MANILA, Philippines — As the poll body begins its preparations less than five months before the 2025 elections, the Supreme Court has stepped in, urging it to respond to election-related cases that prompted the High Court to issue a series of Temporary Restraining Orders.

How Comelec is left to reprint ballots, ‘first in PH electoral history’

The Commission on Elections is left without a choice but to stop printing ballots for the 2025 midterm elections even though over 6 million ballots have already been printed and less than four months before the May 12 polls.

Before the May elections, the poll body has to produce 73 million ballots by April 14 but with the Supreme Court (SC) ruling, which issued five temporary restraining orders (TROs), the Comelec has to dispose of over 6 million ballots worth P132 million or P22 per ballot.

According to Comelec Commissioner George Erwin Garcia, the public need not worry as “Plan B” is currently in place even though he admitted that this means going “back to zero.”

“This is the first time in electoral history that the Comelec will order the reprinting—back to zero—of the ballots in compliance with the Supreme Court,”  he said.

Based on the five TROs released by the high tribunal, it ordered the poll body to halt ballot printing after five candidates were favored by the SC under different circumstances.

In the first TRO released by the high court which tackles the case of Subair Guinthum Mustapha vs. Comelec, Subair Guinthum Mustapha is fighting the Comelec decision that labeled him a nuisance candidate and canceled his Certificate of Candidacy (COC) for Senator in the 2025 elections.

Meanwhile, in the case of Charles Savellano vs. Ronald Singson and Comelec, Savellano is opposing Comelec’s decision that also declared him a nuisance candidate for Representative of Ilocos Sur’s 1st District in the 2025 elections. 

The Comelec was ordered to respond to both Mustapha and Savellano cases within five days. 

At the same time, in the case of Chito Bulatao Balintay vs. Comelec Provincial Election Supervisor of Zambales and Comelec En Banc, Chito Bulatao Balintay, a member of an indigenous group in Zambales, is challenging Comelec’s rejection of his application to file a COC for Zambales Governor in the 2025 elections.

The SC issued a TRO stopping Comelec from enforcing its decision and ordering it to accept and process Balintay’s COC. 

Comelec was given 10 days to respond to the petition after receiving notice.

The fourth TRO was given in favor of Edgar Erice who is disputing Comelec’s decision to disqualify him as a candidate for Representative of Caloocan City’s 2nd District in the 2025 elections.

The SC issued a TRO stopping Comelec from disqualifying Erice. It also gave Comelec 10 days to respond to the petition after receiving notice.

Florendo De Ramos Ritualo, Jr. likewise challenged Comelec’s decision to cancel his COC for Sangguniang Panlungsod Member of San Juan City’s 1st District in the 2025 elections.

The SC issued a TRO preventing Comelec from canceling Ritualo’s COC. The Comelec was ordered to respond to the petition within 10 days of receiving notice, with proper delivery and filing of documents.

Following the issuance of the TROs, Garcia noted that the Election Management System will be updated soon to add the five new candidates and generate a total of 1,6667 new ballot templates.

Ballot printing is targeted to start on January 20, but the poll body has yet to confirm the final date.

According to Comelec, due to the TROs that stopped the poll body from printing ballots, the mock elections scheduled for January 18 are likewise suspended and subject to rescheduling. A new schedule has yet to be determined as well.

Comelec affirmsNoel Rosal DQ from Albay gubernatorial race in 2025

The Commission on Elections (Comelec) En Banc has affirmed the cancellation of the Certificate of Candidacy (COC) of fNoel Rosal for the position of governor of Albay in the 2025 National and Local Elections. 

This decision, dated January 7, rejected Rosal’s motion for reconsideration, which sought to overturn the Comelec Second Division’s ruling on December 27, 2024.

In its statement on Wednesday, the Comelec En Banc said that Rosal’s disqualification was grounded on multiple legal bases, including his prior dismissal from public service and the accessory penalties that bar him from holding public office. 

“The Commission found no merit in the arguments raised by Noel Rosal, as his motion for reconsideration merely rehashed positions already discussed and addressed,” Comelec said.

Comelec noted that Rosal was disqualified under Section 40(b) of the Local Government Code (LGC), which prohibits individuals dismissed from public service due to grave misconduct or other administrative violations from seeking elective office. 

The decision cited a 2024 Ombudsman ruling, which found Rosal guilty of grave misconduct, oppression, and conduct prejudicial to the best interest of the service. This ruling carried penalties of dismissal, perpetual disqualification from holding public office, and cancellation of eligibility.

“The fact that Noel Rosal was dismissed from service disqualifies him under Section 40(b) of the LGC,” the En Banc said.

“This is further supported by COMELEC Resolution No. 11046, which disqualifies a candidate for lacking qualifications or possessing grounds for disqualification under the law or the Constitution,” it said.

The Second Division had earlier clarified that the disqualification was not due to administrative cancellation of the COC but to clear violations of the law.

“The petition was granted not because of administrative cancellation under COMELEC Resolution No. 11044-A, but due to factual grounds for disqualification,” the Second Division noted in its December ruling.

Rosal’s penalty stemmed from a June 2024 Ombudsman resolution, which found him guilty of serious administrative offenses. 

“The order of dismissal from service carries with it the accessory penalties of perpetual disqualification to hold public office,” the resolution read.

The En Banc further said that penalties tied to administrative cases are immediately executory and cannot be stayed by a mere motion for reconsideration.

“The law is clear, and this decision reflects our commitment to upholding integrity and adherence to the rule of law in public office,” the Comelec said.

3 more TROs heighten pressure on Comelec ahead of May polls

The Commission on Elections (COMELEC) is facing heightened pressure as the Supreme Court (SC) issues three more temporary restraining orders (TROs), further complicating its preparations for the upcoming elections.

In a recent decision, the SC En Banc ruled in Francis Leo Antonio Marcos v. Comelec, issuing a TRO that prevents the Comelec from declaring Marcos a nuisance candidate. 

This ruling stemmed from the Comelec’s determination that Francis Marcos did not show a genuine intent to run for office. 

Claiming an unverified connection to President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s family, Marcos was permitted to run for senator in the 2022 elections, where he garnered 4,477,025 votes. 

The tribunal directed the election commission to respond to Marcos’s petition within five days of receiving the notice, with no extensions allowed.

Meanwhile, in the case of Noel Ebriega Rosal v. Comelec and Josefino Valenzuela Dioquino, the SC issued another TRO, blocking the Comelec from enforcing its resolutions cancelling Noel Rosal’s Certificate of Candidacy for Albay Governor. Rosal argued that the Comelec acted with undue urgency in disqualifying him. The high court has once again given the Comelec five days to respond to Rosal’s petition.

On Monday, the SC issued a TRO preventing the Comelec from implementing its resolutions that canceled Jonas C. Cortes’s Certificate of Candidacy for Mayor of Mandaue City in the 2025 national and local elections. 

The court also barred the Comelec from removing his name from the list of candidates. The Comelec and respondent Ervin E. Estardante were ordered to comment on the petition within 15 days.

The high court had earlier issued five TROs in different cases that halted the Comelec’s printing of ballots for the elections, which was later destroyed by the commission.

The newly released TROs further delay the Comelec’s preparations for the May 2025 elections, particularly the printing of ballots. However, according to Comelec Commissioner George Erwin Garcia, the printing will resume on January 22 “at all costs.” 

Garcia also said that the Comelec will comply with the TROs issued by the high court, even if it means a delay in ballot printing.

Despite the ruling, Garcia remains confident that the Comelec will meet its April 14 deadline for the printing of election ballots. Over 73 million ballots must be produced for the May elections.

“April 14 is still the target date. As for the Comelec, we will be able to do everything necessary to meet that target. That’s why we deputized the National Printing Office. We act faster that way,” Garcia said.

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