Sara backs Comelec probe on pre-shaded ballots

CEBU CITY, Philippines — Vice presidential frontrunner Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio has expressed support for calls to investigate reported pre-shaded ballots during the overseas absentee voting (OAV) in Singapore and Dubai.

Carpio, who chairs the Lakas-Christian Muslim Democrats, called on the Commission on Elections (Comelec) to immediately conduct an investigation on the incident, where her name on the ballots was supposedly pre-shaded.

“That my name was allegedly pre-shaded, along with some senatorial candidates, is grossly disconcerting,” she said in a statement.

“As a politician, my experience has taught me that Filipinos do not respect those who cheat and engage in election fraud,” she added.

The presidential daughter stressed that cheating in the elections is not in her vocabulary.

“I take with great pride in the fact that my history in politics has never been tainted by cheating, fraud and other election irregularities that could question my integrity and leadership,” she swore.

“I never have and will never condone cheating. I won my past elections because the people voted for me,” she added.

Carpio then called on Filipinos both in the Philippines and overseas to be vigilant against electoral fraud and ensure that their votes are protected.

Her running mate and presidential frontrunner Ferdinand Marcos Jr. made the same call to Filipinos overseas.

“Let us continue to be vigilant and protect our democracy,” Marcos said in a Facebook post.

The Philippine embassy in Singapore said there was an “inadvertent” incident in which a spoiled ballot was handed out to a voter last Sunday, the first day of the OAV.

The embassy, however, denied that pre-shaded ballots were given to voters.

The Philippine consulate general in Dubai, on the other hand, also denied that pre-shaded ballots were given to voters.

‘Landslide victories’

The endorsement of Marcos and Carpio from One Cebu party for their respective presidential and vice presidential bids could seal their landslide victories in the May 9 elections.

Lakas-CMD said this yesterday following the official endorsement from the powerful regional party headed by Cebu Gov. Gwendolyn Garcia last Tuesday.

Lakas-CMD president and House Majority Leader Martin Romualdez underscored that One Cebu’s backing of Marcos and Duterte has cemented the pair’s paths to overwhelming victories, as he noted that the province has over 3.2 million registered voters.

“While we already expect that the UniTeam tandem will win in the upcoming presidential elections, the latest support that we got will further lead Marcos and Duterte to landslide victories,” Romualdez, who joined the BBM-Sara UniTeam tandem during the event, said.

Marcos and Duterte thanked Garcia and her party-mates for their decision to support the UniTeam.