RIYADH, Saudi Arabia - An official at the Philippine Embassy in Riyadh admitted that no indelible ink will be used in this year's Overseas Absentee Voting (OAV).

Vice Consul Roussel Reyes, who is in charge of the OAV in Saudi Arabia, said the Commission on Elections (Comelec) did not send indelible ink for this year's poll exercise. He said the Comelec told them to implement other security safeguards in the balloting including signing logbooks, use of computer data and thumbmarks.

“Wala po talagang ipinadalang indelible ink ang Comelec dahil ang paliwanag nila sa amin for 30 days naman ang botohan matatanggal din ang indelible ink. So ang ginagawa po dito, we have additional safeguards para diyan. Kaya nga po ang daming pinipirmahan ng botante,” Reyes said.

Last April 10, overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) started casting their votes for the one-month voting period for overseas workers. Two Boto Mo iPatrol Mo (BMPM) reporters sent separate concerns to BMPM about the absence of indelible ink when they cast their ballots.

They also complained that the ballot boxes are made of carton instead of steel.

"I cast my vote during the first day of election in Riyadh last Saturday, 10 April 2010. I understand that after dropping my ballot in the ballot box, the election officer should apply indelible ink on my finger. There was none. Also I confirm one kabayan report today in ABS-CBN News that the ballot box was a box made of carton only,” said one patroller.

The second patroller expressed disappointment that the voting precinct at the Riyadh embassy had no ballot boxes.

"All we have is a box made of carton, secured by a packing tape po. Why our government cannot even send us here ballot boxes na may Phil. Airlines naman tayo d2 para magdala ng mga ballot boxes papuntang Riyadh, Saudi. Why Hong Kong is electronic voting, bakit d2 mano-mano? Natatakot po ako sa mga boto po nmin d2, bka mawawala po, kac ang lalagyan carton boxes lang po secure by a tape.... thanks!"

Reyes said the carton ballot boxes were supplied by the Comelec and have been used by absentee voters since 2004. He also said the ballot boxes have enough security seals to safeguard the ballots.

“Karton ho talaga ang ballot box. Baka po ang ine-expect nila yung bakal yung katulad sa Pilipinas. Ito po yung ipinapadala ng Comelec for the past 3 elections na, pero ayun nga may additional safeguards,” he added. Report from Dindo Amparo, ABS-CBN Middle East News Bureau, Chief