Investigate pre-shaded ballots, Robredo urges: ‘Election integrity at stake’

SAN FERNANDO CITY, La Union — Vice President and presidential candidate Leni Robredo said Tuesday that overseas Filipino voters should immediately report incidents of pre-shaded ballots, saying she received reports of plans to distribute pre-shaded ballots ahead of overseas voting.

Robredo made the call a day after the Philippine Embassy in Singapore confirmed that a spoiled ballot was "inadvertently" distributed to an overseas Filipino voter there, after a Facebook user said she was given a pre-shaded ballot where the names of Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte and some Senate bets were already shaded.

The incident happened on Monday, the second day of overseas voting for Eleksyon 2022.

"Ako, cause for concern siya lalo na kasi bago pa nag-start 'yung absentee voting para sa mga OFWs, marami na 'yung nagwa-warn sa atin na 'yung pre-shaded ballots meron talagang balak gawin," Robredo told reporters after a campaign stop before a crowd of around 5,000 people in Saint Louis College here in a Solid North province.

(This is really a cause for concern because even before the absentee voting for overseas Filipino workers, a lot of people were warning us about possible distribution of pre-shaded ballots.)

"As of now, ‘yung sabi ng Comelec, isolated incident. I hope isolated talaga siya. Pero kailangan, hikayatin natin ‘yung lahat to report," she added.

(The Commission on Elections said it was an isolated incident, and I hope that is the case. But we really need to call on our fellow Filipinos to report similar incidents.)

"Hindi natin alam kung papaano nakapasok ‘yung pre-shaded na ballots. Pero ‘yung worry kasi natin, baka sa ibang lugar mangyari pa din ito," Robredo added.

(We don't know how the pre-shaded ballot was able to be included there, but such an incident is worrisome since it could happen to other places.)

Robredo said the incident should be immediately probed.

"Dapat imbestigahan. Hindi lang ng Senate pero lahat na bodies na merong mandato na mag-imbestiga. Kasi ang at stake dito ‘yung integrity ng elections," Robredo said.

(It should be investigated. Not just by the Senate but by all the boides with the mandate to investigate. Because the integrity of the elections is at stake here.)

The Senate Committee on Electoral Reforms is chaired by Senator Imee Marcos, sister of former senator Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos, Jr., who is also a presidential candidate.

Robredo said she is fine with the senator pursuing a probe into the pre-shaded ballots.

"Dapat sana may pagkukusa. Dapat sana may pagkukusa sa kanyang assignment, kung may respeto sa proseso. Dapat sa kanya na mang-galing," she said.

(She should have the initiative to do her assignment, if she respects the electoral process.)

"Kasi ang pinaka-crucial ngayon, ‘yung integrity ng eleksyon. Kapag merong pagduda ang tao, maco-compromise lahat," Robredo added.

(The most crucial thing here is the integrity of our election. If the people have doubts there, you will compromise everything.)

The Philippine Consulate in Dubai has also had to deny a claim of having distributed a pre-shaded ballot. — BM, GMA News