Hindi na matutuloy ang mall voting ng Commission on Elections (Comelec) para sa May 9 national and local elections.
Ayon kay Comelec Chairman Andres Bautista, sa botong 4-3, binaligtad ng Comelec en banc ang nauna nitong desisyon na pagdaraos ng mall voting.
Aniya, nagbotohan sila kamakalawa at mula sa botong 6-1 ay nagbago ang kanilang desisyon at naging 4-3, dahilan upang hindi na ituloy ang mall voting.
Humingi naman ng paumanhin si Bautista sa mga taong excited at umaasang makakaboto sila ng mas kumbinyente sa malls.
Aniya, muli na lamang nilang susubukang maidaos ang mall voting sa 2019 polls.
“I really want to apologize to the voters who supported this innovation especially our senior citizens and PWDs (persons with disabilities),” pahayag ni Bautista.
“The mall voting would have been easier for them to exercise their right to suffrage. This is an idea whose time has not yet come and we’ll try again in 2019,” aniya pa. (MARY ANN SANTIAGO)