Issuing vote receipts to make elections 5 to 7 hours longer, Bautista says

Commission on Elections Chairman Andres Bautista on Tuesday said that printing vote receipts would add five to seven hours to the voting process on Election Day.

In an interview over radio dzBB, Bautista admitted that the issuance of receipts would build the electorate's confidence in the system but added that the process would make the elections longer aside from making it vulnerable to vote-buying.

Bautista said issuing the receipts would only be viable if the elections ran for two to three days.

"Tama po kayo," Bautista said when asked if the receipts would address the so-called culture of mistrust towards the Comelec.

"Pero ako naman sana, kung hahayaan talagang mag-imprenta ng resibo, talagang ang mungkahi po dapat two to three days ang pagboto. Given our current state, hindi kakayanin," he added.

Bautista said that the country holds synchronized national and local elections, all in a day.

"We have 18,000 positions at ang isang botante ay dapat maglagay ng 27-35 marks [sa kaniyang balota], kaya't kung ie-enable 'yun (resibo), maliban sa problema ng vote buying, malaking problema diyan 'yung time and motion study, na magdadagdag po ito ng lima hanggang pitong oras sa pagboto," Bautista said.

Polling places for May elections will be open from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m., two hours shorter than the period during the 2013 midterm elections.

Bautista said the Comelec cut the voting hours to encourage voters to come to their precincts earlier.

"Iniklian namin 'yung voting time para nga boboto nang maaga ang mga botante, dahil after magsara [ng polling place], marami pang gagawin ang board of election inspections—nandiyan ang election returns, ang transmission—kaya masalimuot ang proseso," he said.

The poll body's seven-member en banc has been consistent in deciding against the issuance of receipts, with unanimous votes in 2010, 2013, and 2016.

Bautista earlier said the Comelec saw "more disadvantages than advantages," in particular the concerns of vote buying and added time to the voting process.

He has also been citing a Supreme Court ruling, which he said considers the image of the ballot as the paper audit trail.

Polls watchdogs have repeatedly disagreed with the said reasons.

On Monday, former Sen. Richard Gordon—author of the Automated Elections Law, who's seeking a seat in Senate anew—asked the high court to compel Comelec to issue the receipt.

Sought for comment, the poll body said that matter is now up to the Supreme Court. —Rose-An Jessica Dioquino/NB, GMA News