MANILA – The Partido Demokratiko Pilipino-Lakas ng Bayan (PDP-Laban) party on Friday asked the Commission on Elections (Comelec) to postpone the printing of official ballots for the May 9, 2022 polls.

In a 20-page petition, the group of Energy Secretary and party president Alfonso Cusi urged Comelec to reschedule the printing of ballots, set Jan. 15, 2022, since there are still pending cases involving individual candidates and party-list organizations.

“There are numerous proceedings pending with this Honorable Commission and even the Supreme Court (SC), thus rendering it legally impossible for the ballots for the upcoming 2022 elections to be printed,” the petition read.

“Petitioner respectfully prays that this Honorable Commission postpone the printing of ballots for the 2022 national and local elections pending resolution of cases before this Honorable Commission and the Supreme Court.”

The group cited the cases filed against presidential aspirant Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. and disapproved party-list groups that were granted temporary restraining orders by the SC.

“Pending resolution of these cases, it is legally impossible for ballots to be printed in the meantime,” the PDP-Laban petition stated.

The petitioner added that the Comelec adjusted the printing schedule prior to the May 2016 polls.

“This Honorable Commission will recall that it had caused the printing of ballots on 15 February 2016 in preparation for the 2016 national and local elections, which, like the upcoming 2022 national and local elections, were automated,” the group said.

At the same time, the PDP-Laban asked for the reopening of the filing of certificates of candidacy (COC), which was held October 1 to 8.

The petition added that the Omnibus Election Code would have permitted the filing of COCs until Feb. 7, 2022 for national positions and March 24 for local positions. (PNA)