Commission on Elections (Comelec) chairperson George Garcia said two poll watchers in a precinct in Abra will face charges for shading the ballots of voters,

In a viral video, the poll watchers are seen shading ballots for the voters even after they were allegedly told to stop.

Garcia said the watchers have been removed.

Garcia said watchers have no right, no authority, and are not authorized to act as assistors in any precinct.

The only ones allowed to assist, if the elderly, persons with disabilities, or illiterate voters have no companions, are the members of the electoral board, Garcia added.

According to Garcia, irregularities that take place in precincts during election day may also be considered an election offense.

“‘Yung pag re-represent na pwe-pwede kang, authorize ka na mag shade ng balota ‘yan po ay bawal. Therefore, one to six years imprisonment po ‘yan,” he said.

(The act of representing or claiming you’re authorized to shade someone else’s ballot is prohibited. Therefore, that carries a penalty of one to six years imprisonment.)