By Bohol Chronicle
Presidentiable, Sen.
Richard "Dick" Gordon reiterated Monday his plea to the Comelec not to allow the distribution of sample ballots to familiarize voters on the new format of the official ballot.
In an exclusive one hour interview over DYRD, Gordon raised the specter of political operators shifting their dirty tricks from the old manual system to the sample ballots for vote buying.
If the Comelec would push thru with the distribution of sample ballots this would be open season for vote buying which the automated system could not prevent.
"This will go down in history as one of the craziest elections we will experience" warned Gordon.
Sample ballots with pre-punched holes corresponding to the ovals preceding names of favored candidates would be given to voters as guide for shading. This will serve as basis for monitoring and facilitate payment of the agreed amount upon exit from the polling precincts.
Gordon, author of RA 9369 or the law on Poll Automation reminded the Comelec on their assurance not to use sample ballots and to issue the resolution prohibiting such distribution. No resolution has been issued by the Poll body.
The use of sample ballots to familiarize voters on the new election forms will add to the mounting expenses facing the Comelec in the light of the purchase of ultraviolet lamps to identify fake ballots since the built-in scanner in the PCOS machines failed to read official printed ballots due to technical glitches.
"There is no need for such sample ballots since the names of candidates will be printed on the official ballot and voters will just shade the ovals".
Gordon, who is running for president under the Bagumbayan Party urged the electorate to be vigilant and help to make the country's first automated polls clean, honest, credible and orderly.
During his visit last Monday, he met the cross-section of the community during a dinner fellowship at JJs Seafood Village and met with the media during a press conference at Bohol Tropics yesterday.
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