Official ballots sold for P25 each

An employee of the Commission on Elections (Comelec) was accused yesterday of selling official ballots for P25 each inside the National Printing Office (NPO) in Quezon City.

The ballots are reportedly being offered at P200 apiece to interested buyers in the provinces.

In a news conference at the National Press Club yesterday, Alexis Francis Reyes, a Lakas-NUCD Youth volunteer assigned at the NPO, identified the Comelec employee as Tony Galang, who is detailed with the printing committee headed by Comelec Commissioner Luzviminda Tancangco.

Tancangco told The STAR Galang is a casual employee assigned to the printing committee and under the direct supervision of her vice chairman, lawyer Lamberto Llamas.

Galang’s sister is reportedly detailed with the poll body’s national central file.

Tancangco said she has asked the National Bureau of Investigation, Philippine National Police, and the Intelligence Service of the Armed Forces of the Philippines to investigate allegations that official ballots are being sold at the NPO.

Reyes said Galang handed him three ballots last month to convince him that he can provide a supply of official ballots that would be used in next month’s congressional and local elections.

Reyes, along with Kim Edres of Lakas Youth and Alliance of Active Muslim Youth and Professionals, presented to reporters the three ballots which Galang had allegedly given to him.

Reyes said he had executed an affidavit to attest to the truth of his allegations that Galang has been selling ballots within the NPO’s premises.

In his affidavit, Reyes swore that Galang had approached him inside the NPO to ask if he was interested to buy official ballots at P25 apiece.

Reyes said that at first, he told Galang that he was not interested but that the following day he asked Galang for samples of the ballots on the pretext that a buyer wanted to see them.

Reyes said Galang arranged a meeting at the NPO canteen, which is outside the Comelec restricted area, where he was handed two official ballots bearing serial numbers.

Reyes said he immediately left the NPO after placing the ballots between the pages of a notebook that he was carrying at the time.

Comelec Chairman Alfredo Benipayo said a chemical analysis of the "sample material" taken from Galang showed that "the paper is the same" as those being used by the poll body for printing official ballots.

Benipayo said the paper contains "all the secret markings of the Comelec chairman" that are found in all ballots being produced by the poll body.

Tancangco said she saw Reyes for the first time last Thursday when he went to her office to ask that she sign the papers designating him as Lakas watcher in the NPO.

Tancangco, who was appointed by former President Joseph Estrada, has been accused of trying to twice bring out plates for the printing of election returns from the premises of Ernest Printing Corp., a private firm in Caloocan City.

Ballots are being printed at the NPO but election returns and other paraphernalia have been farmed out to Ernest Printing Corp.

The Lakas-NUCD, which is Mrs. Arroyo’s political party, has demanded the immediate resignation of Tancangco.

Meanwhile, Fr., Robert Reyes called on the Ombudsman yesterday to investigate the allegations that official ballots are being openly sold.

"Let’s go to the bottom of this," he said.