MANILA — The Commission on Elections (Comelec) en banc has junked the petition of the so-called “TNT Trio” to reopen a number of ballot boxes including the one from Sto. Tomas, Batangas, that were used in the 2022 presidential elections.

The TNT Trio are former Information and Communications Technology Secretary Eliseo Rio, ex-Elections Commissioner Gus Lagman, and erstwhile Finance Executives Institute president Franklin Ysaac.

Garcia said what prompted the Commission en Banc to junk the TNT Trio’s petition was the latter’s decision to file a “failure of election” petition before the Supreme Court.

“Ito po ay dineny na, dinismiss (dismiss) ng inyong Commission en Banc... ang reason ng dismissal eh sapagkat nag-file po kasi ang Trio ng isang petisyon, kung saan ang petisyon ay nagpapa-declare ng failure of election sa buong Pilipinas,” Garcia said.

(This has been dismissed by your Commission. This has been dismissed because they also filed a petition before the Supreme Court asking for declaration of failure of elections in the Philippines.)

“Ang failure of election po ay contrary sa remedy na hinihingi nila which is pagpapabilang ng mga balota... so balewala po at nabalewala yung kanilang request na pagpapabilang ng balota lalo na sa City of Sto Tomas sa Batangas,” he added.

(Failure of election is contrary to the remedy they are asking. That request has become useless.)

A petition declaring a “failure of election” means that no electoral exercise happened in an area in the country,” Garcia pointed out.

If the trio did not file the SC petition, the Commission en banc will grant a request to reopen a number of ballot boxes, Garcia said.

The issue was also complicated by a standing petition involving a mayoralty candidate in Sto Tomas, Batangas, he added.

“Therefore, hindi namin pwedeng galawin ang mga ballot boxes dahil nasa Protective Custody Order ang mga ballot boxes na ito... sa kasalukuyan ang kasong yan nasa Commission en banc,” Garcia said.

(We cannot touch the ballot boxes because those are under the Protective Custody Order.. the case is now pending before the Commission en banc.)

FACE-OFF

Garcia during Tuesday’s press conference, likewise junked the invitation of former congressman Edgar Erice for them to attend the latter’s called press briefing which is a continuation of his allegations against Miru Systems Company Ltd., the supplier of the automated counting machine (ACMs) that the Comelec will use in next year’s polls.

Erice’s agenda, Garcia said, is already sub judice given that the ex-congressman’s petition is now pending before the Supreme Court.

“Ano man po ang sabihin nya dun, he will never get a reaction from us involving the validity or the matters, surrounding the contract between the Comelec and the joint venture of MIRU and other partners po nya,” Garcia said.

“We will not be sending a representative po, doon sa kanyang press conference,” he added.

He said the Comelec will not slap Erice with contempt charges for continuously discussing the case.

Garcia’s advice to Erice is to discuss his concerns directly at the Supreme Court.

NEGROS ISLAND CONCERN

Garcia meanwhile announced the Comelec’s designation of an acting regional director and other officials in Negros Island Region pending the release of an implementing rules and regulations (IRR) in relation to the approval of a law creating the NIR.

“Kinuha namin ibang kasamahan at empleyado mula sa ibang region, lalo na sa Region 7. Kailangan paghandaan na ang pag-create ng NIR dahil kailangan ito sa ballot faces at iba pang aspeto ng ating preparations para sa 2025 national and local elections,” Garcia said.

(We tapped our other colleagues and employees from other regions like region 7. We need to be ready in creating the NIR because we will be needing the ballot faces and other preparations needed for the 2025 national and local elections.)