MANILA: The Commission on Elections (Comelec) on Friday, January 15, said the Bureau of Customs has not released around 24,000 vote-counting machines that the Philippines will use in the May 9 presidential elections.
“May mga paperwork pa, so medyo mabagal sila. Inaabutan ng weekends or holidays. Medyo nade-delay nang ‘onti,” Comelec spokesman James Jimenez said.
(There’s still paperwork, so they’re slow. It takes them until the weekends or holidays. It’s a bit delayed.)
Jimenez said this could be normal “usually for large shipments.”
He pointed out, however, that the Comelec’s case is different because this is “for election purposes.”
He said Comelec Chairman Andres Bautista “is in communication” with Customs Commissioner Alberto Lina, though informally, to expedite the release of the vote-counting machines.
