“Hybrid polls will only open more avenues to cheating,” said United Opposition (UNO) vice presidentiable candidate Makati Mayor Jejomar C. Binay, in reaction to the Commission on Elections (Comelec) plan to simultaneously hold electronic and manual voting if it fails to print 42 million ballots as scheduled.

“This is like opening oneself to a two-pronged assault. Of course, crooked candidates will see this as an opportunity to cheat and revert to their usual tactics, while on the other hand, those who have already set up to cheat on the electronic front will push on. They have already invested on the scheme, so why back out?” he asked.

Binay was alarmed to find out that the printing of ballots are going over a slow pace, with only 60 days before the actual polls.

As of March 1, only 7.9 million ballots have been printed out of the required 50 million. Out of this number, only 5.3 million have been accepted as good, while the others still need to go under scrutiny.