Francis Leo Marcos faces Comelec chairman George Garcia on Jan. 23, 2025. Willard Cheng, ABS-CBN News

MANILA (UPDATED) — Francis Leo Marcos, whose name the Supreme Court ordered included on the ballot for the May elections, is withdrawing as a candidate, he announced a day before the Commission on Elections is scheduled to begin printing updated ballots.

The Comelec had to update its ballot faces and after the SC issued a Temporary Restraining Order on the Comelec declaring him a nuisance candidate and keeping his name off the official ballots for the midterm elections.

Comelec: Ballot printing to restart on Jan.24

The name of Francis Leo Marcos — a stage name for Norman Mangusin — was to come before that of Sen. Imee Marcos since names are listed in alphabetical order.

Comelec Chairman George Garcia said Wednesday he cannot say how this will affect Sen. Marcos' candidacy, but said a provision in the Omnibus Election Code describes a nuisance candidates as one who causes confusion among the electorate.

"Ang importante, dahil sa TRO ng SC, kasama na po ang pangalan ni Mr. Francis Marcos sa balota na gagawin natin," he said.

(What is important is that, because of the Supreme Court TRO, Mr. Francis Marcos' name will be on the ballot)

'MARCOS': I AM WITHDRAWING TO SAVE THE GOVERNMENT MONEY

Marcos claimed his “real” reason from withdrawing is to prevent the government from spending more just to reprint ballots.

The Supreme Court earlier granted him a temporary restraining order against the Comelec decision declaring him a nuisance candidate.

“Ang pinaka-main reason ng withdrawal ko is to avoid the government spending another P132 million para lang sa balota ko. Kung hahayaan ko sila na i-shred yung 6 million ballots na na-print na, hindi ako mabuting tao nun. Para saan pa naging good Samaritan tayo,” he said.

(My main reason for backing out is to prevent the government from spending another P132 million for my ballots. If I allow them to shred 6 million ballots that have already been printed, I won’t consider myself a good person. I’m not a good Samaritan for nothing…)

He added no one talked him out of running and that nobody can control him.

Because of Marcos' withdrawal, the reprinting of ballots will not proceed on Friday as the Comelec announced earlier in the day.

The delays caused by the TROs have prompted the Comelec to use four printers of the National Printing Office alongside two provided by supplier Miru Systems to print 1.5 million ballots a day.

DATABASE NEEDS ADJUSTMENT AGAIN

Garcia said the reprinting will be set on Monday instead since the candidates’ database has to be adjusted again and new ballot faces be generated.

“At least hindi pa nagsisimula ang printing ng balota. Kung sakali, magsisimula kami ng printing umaga ng Lunes… Yung araw lang naman ang effect, at least walang effect sa gastos, kung gastos ang pag-uusapan,” Garcia said.

(At least we haven’t started printing out ballots yet. We might start printing on Monday… It was a slight delay, at least it did not affect the cost if we just look at the cost)

Garcia urged other candidates who have plans to withdraw from the race to do so by Friday noon to give way to the updating of ballot faces before Monday’s reprinting of ballots.

“Sapagkat sa bawat withdrawal na hindi pa kami nagiimprenta ng balota, dalawa, tatlong araw po ang gugugulin ng Comelec. So sana gawin na po natin kaagad natin ito,” Garcia said.

(Each withdrawal could push the printing back from two to three days. So please, decide fast.) — with Willard Cheng, ABS-CBN News

For more news and features on Philippine elections, visit ABS-CBN News' Halalan 2025 page.

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