MALUSO, Basilan — The Commission on Elections (COMELEC) has discovered pre-shaded ballots in Maluso, Basilan, on Monday, September 14, as voting began for the first Bangsamoro Parliamentary Elections, prompting the poll body to place the municipality under Comelec control and order the emergency reprinting of affected ballots.
The discovery involves 36 of Maluso’s 68 voting precincts, according to initial information released by the poll body. The affected ballots reportedly contained markings or shading before they were issued for use by voters, raising serious concerns over the integrity of the electoral process in the affected precincts.
COMELEC Chairman George Erwin Garcia said the poll body has already identified the individuals allegedly behind the pre-shading of the ballots and that those responsible would be held accountable under the law.
The Comelec immediately ordered the reprinting of the compromised ballots and directed that replacement ballots be transported to Basilan on election day.
The emergency replacement process, however, could result in delays in the opening or continuation of voting in the affected precincts.
Garcia explained that the newly printed ballots would have to be transported from Manila to Zamboanga before being delivered to Basilan. The Comelec said it has protocols in place to expedite the shipment and delivery of the replacement ballots so voting can resume as soon as possible.
Maluso placed under Comelec control
Following the discovery, the Comelec En Banc declared Maluso, Basilan, under Comelec control as part of measures to protect the electoral process and closely supervise the conduct of voting in the municipality.
The poll body also placed Cotabato City under Comelec control amid separate election-related security concerns.
The decision to take control of Maluso underscores the seriousness with which the Comelec is treating the discovery of compromised ballots, particularly as the BARMM holds its first parliamentary elections.
The affected ballots will no longer be used, with the Comelec opting to replace them rather than risk allowing ballots bearing pre-existing marks to enter the voting process.
Comelec says incident does not mean failure of elections
Despite the discovery, Garcia clarified that the incident does not automatically constitute a failure of elections in Maluso.
Voting is expected to proceed using replacement ballots once they arrive and the necessary procedures are completed.
The Comelec is continuing to monitor the situation and coordinate with election officials and security authorities to ensure that the electoral process remains orderly and that voters in affected areas are still able to exercise their right to vote.
The discovery of pre-shaded ballots has nevertheless placed election integrity under heightened scrutiny in Basilan, particularly because the affected precincts account for more than half of all voting precincts in Maluso.
The Comelec has yet to publicly disclose all details surrounding how the ballots were compromised, including the identities of those allegedly responsible and the circumstances under which the pre-shading occurred.
Authorities are expected to investigate the incident further and determine whether criminal or administrative cases should be filed against those responsible.
For now, the Comelec is focused on replacing the affected ballots, restoring voting operations in the affected precincts and ensuring that the results of the BARMM Parliamentary Elections reflect the genuine choices of voters.
The incident comes on the opening day of the historic 2026 BARMM Parliamentary Elections, making the protection of ballot security and voter confidence a critical priority for election authorities.