2 poll watchers to face raps for shading voters' ballots

Two poll watchers in a precinct in Abra will face charges for shading the ballots of voters, Commission on Elections (Comelec) chairperson George Garcia said Monday.

In a viral video, the poll watchers are seen shading ballots for the voters even after they were allegedly told to stop.

Garcia said the watchers have been removed.

“Wala pong karapatan, wala pong kapangyarihan, at hindi po awtorisado ang mga watcher na maging assistor ng isang precinct,” the poll body chairman said in an ambush interview.

(The watchers have no right, no authority, and are not authorized to act as assistors in any precinct.)

“Ang pwede lang po mag-assist kung walang kasama ‘yung mismong nakatatanda, ‘yung mismong may kapansanan, o kaya naman ‘yung mismong illiterate ay ang electoral board members lamang,” he added.

(The only ones allowed to assist, if the elderly, persons with disabilities, or illiterate voters have no companions, are the members of the electoral board.)

According to Garcia, irregularities that take place in precincts during election day may also be considered an election offense.

“‘Yung pag re-represent na pwe-pwede kang, authorize ka na mag shade ng balota ‘yan po ay bawal. Therefore, one to six years imprisonment po ‘yan,” he said.

(The act of representing or claiming you’re authorized to shade someone else’s ballot is prohibited. Therefore, that carries a penalty of one to six years imprisonment.) —VAL, GMA Integrated News

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