76 million fake ballots in May?

An administration congressman urged the Commission on Elections (Comelec) yesterday to investigate its printing committee for the loss of 19,000 reams of security paper intended for use in the production of official ballots.

Rep. Jose Apolinario Lozada (Lakas, Negros Occidental) said the loss could have been the handiwork of Comelec insiders working for dagdag-bawas (vote padding-shaving) syndicates.

He said there are 500 sheets in one ream and one sheet makes eight ballots.

The missing 19,000 reams of waterproof security paper could produce more than 76 million ballots, Lo-zada said.

He added that the printing committee, chaired by Commissioner Luzviminda Tancangco, is in charge of securing the paper to be used for the production of ballots and other official election forms.

Lozada stressed that the reported loss of the security paper, together with the apprehension of an employee of the printing committee spiriting out printed ballots, should alarm Comelec Chairman Alfredo Benipayo and other officials of the poll body.

"These are tell-tale signs that dagdag-bawas syndicates are now at work in collusion with unscrupulous Comelec personnel. Benipayo must blunt their evil design this early," Lozada said.

He asked the Comelec head to be wary of his own officials and personnel.

"These syndicates cannot operate without colluding with insiders," he said.

In the past, excess official ballots and other forms were sold to syndicates which reproduced and used them in their illegal activities, Lozada said.

Unless Benipayo takes drastic and prompt measures, the first election under his watch and under the Arroyo administration could turn out to be dirty, he added. – Jess Diaz