MANILA, Philippines – Reprinting millions of ballots without the name of a presidential candidate disqualified by the Commission on Elections (COMELEC) may not be feasible.

“Maraming dahilan kung bakit hindi na feasible na i-reprint yung nagawa nang balota,” Comelec spokesman James Jimenez told Umagang Kay Ganda.

On Thursday, Liberal Party general campaign manager Butch Abad said they will formally ask the Comelec to make adjustments in the printing of ballots after the poll body disqualified Kilusang Bagong Lipunan (KBL) standard-bearer Vetallano Acosta from the presidential race.

Jimenez said that it would still be up to the Comelec en banc to decide on that issue. Giving his technical point of view, Jimenez asked what they would do with the 9 million ballots already printed.

“That's so much wastage. Pangalawa, kung gagawin natin iyan for this one candidate, paano na lang kung may na disqualify pang iba?” Jimenez said.

The disqualification was based on Acosta’s own pronouncements and the statement of KBL vice-presidential bet Jay Sonza that they do not support each other, and that Acosta is not supported by his own partymates.

He explained that when they started printing the ballots “it was with everyone’s understanding” that there will be candidates who will be disqualified.

“Ngayong nagkakaroon na ng resulta parang ang hirap naman to change the rules. All of sudden may natangal na reprint na lang ng reprint. Made-delay tayo n’yan and it that would be bad for everyone,” he said.

LP standard bearer Benigno "Noynoy" Aquino III earlier filed a petition before Comelec to declare Acosta a nuisance candidate. Aquino’s party criticized the Comelec for taking too long to remove Acosta from the official list.

“It’s easy to say we should have done this or that. But the fact is, at that point na nag-desisyon tayo noon, malinaw na pwede siyang maging tunay na kandidato, and so the commission acted accordingly,” Jimenez said pointing out that Acosta was earlier supported by a party and he manifested his intention to be a presidential bet.

He added, “And now na nakita natin na hindi pala, the commission again is also acting accordingly.”