Comelec: Ballots for BARMM polls have photos of candidates

FILE PHOTO: Commission on Elections Chairperson George Garcia. INQUIRER / NINO JESUS ORBETA

MANILA, Philippines — The ballots for the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) parliamentary polls will have the pictures of candidates, according to the Commission on Elections (Comelec).

Comelec Chairman George Erwin Garcia said the poll body made the move even before poll watchdog Legal Network for Truthful Elections’ (Lente) suggestion that the ballots should feature candidate photos and party logos.

Lente also said there should be “none of the above” choices on the ballot for the BARMM polls.

“I just want to announce that, even before the proposal of a certain group, the Comelec already decided that the ballot for the Bangsamoro parliamentary elections will have the pictures of candidates and the logo of their political parties, and we will put the ‘none of the above’ choice,” Garcia said in an ambush interview at the Palacio del Gobernador on Monday.

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. ordered the reset of the BARMM polls, which were supposed to be concurrently held in midterm elections on May 12.

Lanao del Sur 1st District Rep. Ziaur-Rahman Alonto Adiong said the crucial component of Marcos’ move is the provision where the President is allowed to appoint members of the Bangsamoro Transition Authority, giving the chief executive power to reapportion the seats of Sulu.

READ: BARMM parliamentary polls postponed – Comelec chief