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The Presidential Electoral Tribunal, the sole judge of all contests


relating to the election, returns and qualification of the President or Vice-
President pursuant to Section 4, Article VIII of the Constitution, hereby adopts
and promulgates the following Presidential Electoral Tribunal Revisor 's
Guide for the Revision ofBallots Under the Automated Election System:

PRESIDENTIAL ELECTORAL TRIBUNAL REVISOR'S


GUIDE FOR THE REVISION OF BALLOTS UNDER THE
AUTOMATED ELECTION SYSTEM

TITLE AND APPLICABILITY

RULE 1. Title. - These Rules shall be known and referred to as the


"PET Revisor' s Guide for the Revision of Ballots under the Automated
Election System."

RULE 2. Applicability. - These Rules shall apply to election protests


under the Automated Election System (AES) that are within the jurisdiction
of the Tribunal, and shall govern the conduct of revision in those cases in lieu
of the rules and procedures set out in Rules 3 8 to 45 (Revision of Votes) of
The 2010 Rules of the Presidential Electoral Tribunal.

NECESSITY AND OBJECTIVES OF REVISION

RULE 3. Necessity ofRevision. When fraud, anomaly or irregularity is


alleged in the protest or counter-protest and the interest of justice so requires,
the Tribunal shall order that the ballots be examined and the votes counted.

RULE 4. Objectives of Revision. - The objectives of revision


proceedings are:

a. To verify the physical count of the ballots;

b. To recount the votes of the parties;

c. To record the objections or claims of the parties with respect to


ballots under revision; and

d. To mark the ballots objected to or claimed by the parties for


purposes of identification, in preparation for their examination by
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the Tribunal and for the reception of evidence in support of the


objections and claims of the parties, when necessary.

REVISION COMMITTEES

RULE 5. Creation ofRevision Committees. -The Tribunal shall create


such number of Revision Committees (RCs) as may be necessary.

RULE 6. Composition of Revision Committees. - Each RC shall be


composed of a Head Revisor and one Party Revisor each for the Protestant
and the Protestee. The Chairperson of the Tribunal shall designate the Head
Revisors, as well as their alternates. For the same purpose, the parties shall
designate their respective Party Revisors and alternate Party Revisors. Each
of the parties shall also designate a Party Supervisor, who shall take charge of
the assignment and fielding of the Party Revisors and their alternates.

RULE 7. Accreditation ofParty Revisors, Party Supervisors and Party


Counsel. - At least five (5) working days before the start of the revision, the
parties shall submit to the Clerk of the Tribunal the names, addresses and ID
pictures of their respective Party Revisors, alternate Party Revisors, Party
Supervisor and Party Counsel for accreditation by the Tribunal. Only duly
accredited Party Revisors, alternate Party Revisors, Party Supervisors and
Party Counsel shall be allowed to participate in or observe the revision
proceedings, as the case may be.

RULE 8. Compensation of Members of the RCs. - The Tribunal shall


fix the compensation of Head Revisors and alternate Head Revisors.

The Party Supervisors and Party Revisors shall be directly compensated


by the respective parties who designated them.

RULE 9. Revision Supervisor and Revision Appraisers. -The Tribunal


shall designate such number of Revision Supervisors as may be necessary,
who shall be lawyers and who shall oversee the revision process, and such
number of Revision Appraisers as may be necessary to review and ensure the
completeness of the Revision Reports prepared and submitted by the RCs.
Their respective compensation shall be determined by the Tribunal.

HEAD REVISORS AND ALTERNATE HEAD REVISORS

RULE 10. Duty of the Head Revisors. - The Head Revisors are the
representatives of the Tribunal in the revision of ballots. They shall discharge
their duties with the highest degree of confidentiality and absolute loyalty to
the Tribunal, conducting the proceedings with the same dignity and discipline
as if undertaken in the presence of the Tribunal itself. They shall exercise
extraordinary diligence and impose strict precautionary measures to prevent
the loss, disappearance, destruction, or impairment of the integrity of the
ballots and other election documents and paraphernalia. They shall ensure that
revision rules and procedures are properly observed.
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RULE 11. Duty ofAlternate Head Revisor. -An alternate Head Revisor
shall assume the duty of the Head Revisor in the absence of the regular Head
Revisor.

RULE 12. Additional Duty ofAlternate Head Revisors. -The alternate


Head Revisors, when not assigned to conduct revision themselves, shall assist
the Head Revisors in the performance of the latter's functions, particularly in
ensuring the completeness of the ballots and other documents returned inside
the ballot box after completion of the revision and the accuracy of the exhibit
markings of the ballots.

VENUE OF REVISION

RULE 13. Venue of Revision. - The revision of ballots shall be


undertaken in the premises of the Tribunal or at such other place as the
Tribunal may designate, but in every case under its strict supervision and
control.

RULE 14. Who are Allowed in the Revision Area. - During the revision
proceedings, no person other than the following shall have access to the
revision area: Members of the Tribunal, Clerk of the Tribunal, Revision
Supervisors, Revision Appraisers, Hearing Commissioners, Head Revisors
and their alternates, the parties and their respective duly accredited Party
Revisors, Party Supervisor and Party Counsel, the Tribunal's Ballot Box
Custodian, handlers and other personnel assisting in the revision proceedings,
and any other person authorized by the Chairperson or Clerk of the Tribunal.

PARTICIPANTS AND OBSERVERS

RULE 15. Who may Participate in the Revision Proceedings. - Only


the members of the RCs or their duly accredited alternates shall be allowed to
participate in the revision proceedings.

RULE 16. Who may Observe the Revision Proceedings. - The


Protestant and Protestee and their respective duly accredited Party Supervisor,
Party Counsel, and such other persons as may be authorized by the Tribunal,
may observe the revision proceedings.

SCHEDULE OF REVISION

RULE 17. Commencement of Revision. - The revision proceedings


shall commence on the date specified by the Tribunal, unless rescheduled by
the Tribunal.

The revision proceedings shall not be delayed or postponed by reason


of the absence, tardiness, removal or ouster of any Party Revisor, as long as
the Head Revisor and one Party Revisor are present.

If the Party Revisor for the Protestee is absent or late for thirty (30)
minutes and no duly accredited alternate appears as a substitute, the revision
shall nevertheless commence; but the Protestee shall be deemed to have
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waived the right to participate in the revision and to claim or object to the
ballots in the clustered precincts scheduled for revision on that particular day.

If the Party Revisor of the Protestant, or of both parties and alternates,


fail to appear for no justifiable reason within one hour after the fixed time for
the start of the revision, the ballot boxes scheduled for that day shall no longer
be subjected to revision and said ballot boxes with the corresponding keys in
the possession of the Head Revisor, shall be returned to the Ballot Box
Custodian of the Tribunal and shall no longer be revised; it is understood that
the parties have waived their right to revise the ballots inside said ballot boxes,
and the Head Revisor concerned shall state such facts in the corresponding
Revision Report.

RULE 18. Schedule of Revision - The revision proceedings shall be


from 8:30 a.m. to 12:00 noon for the morning session and from 1:00 p.m. to
4:30 p.m. for the afternoon session, Monday to Friday, except holidays;
provided, however, that the revisors may take a fifteen (15) minute break
during each session. The fifteen (15) minute break shall be at 10:00 a.m. -
10:15 a.m. and at 3:00 p.m. -3:15 p.m.

RULE 19. RC Members to Observe Full Revision Hours. - No member


of the RC shall be allowed to leave the premises earlier than the official time
for the break or dismissal. Every RC member is expected to maximize the full
official hours to ensure a fair and speedy proceeding.

TARDINESS AND ABSENCES

RULE 20. Tardiness. -A member of the RC who arrives after 8:30 a.m.
shall be considered tardy.

RULE 21. Designation of Alternate Head Revisor. - In case the Head


Revisor is tardy or fails to report for any reason, the Revision Supervisor may,
at any time, designate another Head Revisor or any alternate Head Revisor to
take the place of the tardy Head Revisor.

RULE 22. Designation of Alternate Party Revisor. - In case a Party


Revisor is tardy, the accredited Party Supervisor shall designate an alternate
Party Revisor. The designated alternate Party Revisor shall continue the
revision with the same authority and power as the regular Party Reviser.
Claims, objections and comments made by the alternate Party Revisor shall
be binding upon the party represented and shall not be allowed to be reviewed,
corrected, changed or questioned by the regular Party Revisor. Each will start
where the other left off.

If no alternate Party Revisor is designated, the revision shall proceed


and the defaulting party shall be deemed to have waived the right to object to
or claim any ballot examined during the revision or to participate in the
proceedings.
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RULE 23. Undertime. - Any Head Revisor who, for justifiable reasons,
has to leave earlier than the time of dismissal shall seek the approval of the
assigned Revision Supervisor in order that an alternate Head Revisor may be
fielded.

The Party Revisor leaving before the dismissal time shall seek the
approval of the concerned Party Supervisor who shall in tum inform the
Revision Supervisor. The party who fails to replace the Party Revisor who
went undertime shall be deemed to have waived the right to be represented in
that particular phase of the revision proceeding.

RULE 24. Emergency/Personal Necessities. - Should there be a need


for an RC member to leave the revision area for a short duration, a duly
accredited alternate shall take over. If a Party Revisor leaves the revision area
for a short duration and no alternate takes over, the revision shall nonetheless
continue.

ISSUANCE, DISTRIBUTION, AND SURRENDER


OF IDENTIFICATION CARDS

RULE 25. Issuance of IDs. - Only the Head Revisors, Party


Supervisors, Party Revisors, Party Counsel and their alternates included in the
list officially submitted to and duly accredited by the Tribunal, shall be issued
identification cards (IDs). The parties are required to submit an updated list in
case of additions and/or deletions thereto.

Color-coded ID cards shall be issued by the Tribunal, as follows:

a. White for Head Revisors and their alternates;

b. Green for Protestant's Counsel, Supervisor, Revisors and their


alternates;

c. Yellow for Protestee's Counsel, Supervisor, Revisors and their


alternates.

RULE 26. Distribution of IDs. - IDs shall be distributed starting 7:30


a.m.

Party Revisors and their alternates who arrive after 8:30 a.m. shall not
be issued their IDs and shall not be allowed to participate in the morning
session. They shall be issued their IDs for the afternoon session.

The IDs of the Party Counsel and Party Supervisors or their alternates
may be issued at any time during the day.

RULE 27. Surrender of IDs. - The ID shall be surrendered to the ID


custodian at the end of the day at 4:30 p.m. Party Revisors who are unable to
complete a whole day of service because of illness or other emergencies shall
surrender their IDs to the ID custodian before leaving the revision area. The
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Party Counsel and Party Supervisors shall surrender their IDs to the ID
custodian every time they leave the revision area.

RULE 28. Failure to Surrender Counsel ID. - Since only one Counsel
of a party is allowed in the revision area, no alternate Counsel shall be allowed
inside the revision area at the same time as the main Counsel. The ID of the
alternate Counsel shall be issued only upon surrender of the ID of the main
Counsel. Failure of the main Counsel to surrender his ID will preclude
substitution by the alternate Counsel.

RULE 29. Replacement of ID. - Damaged IDs shall be replaced only


upon surrender thereof. In case of lost IDs, replacement shall be made only
upon submission of an Affidavit of Loss to the Clerk of the Tribunal. The cost
of the replacement shall be borne by the party concerned.

PROPER DECORUM

RULE 30. Observance of Proper Decorum. -All persons involved in


the revision of ballots are required to observe proper decorum and due respect
to the Tribunal's authority, rules and procedures.

RULE 31. Prohibited Acts. - The following acts are strictly prohibited:

A. To safeguard the integrity of the ballots and election documents:

1. Bringing of personal belongings such as bags, mobile phones,


electronic devices, gadgets, writing instruments, as well as
folders and printed materials inside the revision area;

2. Eating or drinking in the revision area;

3. Folding, tearing, destroying the ballots or any other similar


acts; and

4. Placing unauthorized markings on the ballots.

B. For orderly conduct of the revision proceedings:

1. Head Revisors and Party Revisors going to tables not


assigned to them;

2. Party Revisors:

a. Arguing with each other;

b. Stalling the conduct of the revision; and

c. Making or suggesting claims and/or objections in


behalf of another Party Revisor;

3. Party Supervisor and Party Counsel:


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a. Arguing with the Assigned Revision Supervisor,


Head Revisor or Party Revisors;

b. Sitting as an alternate Party Revisor;


c. Handling the ballots or any other election
documents and paraphernalia; and

d. Instructing the Party Revisors of the opposing party


on what to do.
RULE 32. Withdrawal of Accreditation, Ouster and Removal from
Revision Proceedings. - The Tribunal may, motu proprio or upon motion of
the party concerned, withdraw the accreditation of a Party Revisor, alternate
Party Revisor, Party Supervisor or Party Counsel.

For disorderly conduct, unruly behavior or for such acts as would tend
to delay, disrupt and/or disturb the proceedings, the assigned Revision
Supervisor, with the assistance of the Tribunal's security personnel, shall
remove or oust a Party Revisor, alternate Party Revisor, Party Supervisor or
Party Counsel from the revision proceedings and may prohibit such person
from participating in subsequent proceedings. The prohibition may be
revoked by the Tribunal upon motion of the party concerned.

RULE 33. Contempt of the Tribunal. -Any disorderly conduct, unruly


behavior, deliberate attempt to delay or interrupt the orderly and speedy
conduct of the revision proceedings or other similar acts shall constitute
contempt of the Tribunal and subject the person responsible therefor to prompt
disciplinary proceedings.

GUIDELINES IN THE CONDUCT OF REVISION

RULE 34. RC Assignment. - Each RC shall be assigned a number


which shall correspond to the number of the revision table that the RC shall
permanently occupy. The revision tables shall be numbered consecutively for
easy identification. The RC members must know their committee/table
number assignments.

RULE 35. Revision Table Set-Up. - The Head Revisor and the Party
Revisors shall be seated at the revision table in such a manner that each is able
to observe the activity of the others. The ballot box shall be placed in an area
within the plain view of all the members of the RC.

RULE 36. Release of Ballot Box. - The Ballot Box Custodian shall
ensure that only one ballot box is released to each RC at any given time.

RULE 37. Receipt of Ballot Box. - The Head Revisor shall


acknowledge receipt of the ballot box and its corresponding keys from the
Ballot Box Custodian. The safekeeping of the locks and seals, provided by
COMELEC and other locking and sealing mechanisms and contraptions used
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by the Board of Election Inspectors, shall be the exclusive responsibility of


the Head Revisor until the ballot box is returned to the Ballot Box Custodian.

RULE 38. Revision Time Limit. - The revision of the contents of one
ballot box shall be completed as follows:

1. Revision of contested clustered precinct containing 300 or less


ballots shall be completed within 5.5 hours; otherwise,
completed or not, the same shall be stopped and the concerned
RC shall proceed to revise the next contested precinct, and the
parties shall be deemed to have waived the right to claim or
object to the remaining ballots in the said clustered precinct;

2. Revision of contested clustered precinct containing more than


300 but not more than 700 ballots shall be completed within 8.25
hours; otherwise, completed or not, the same shall be stopped
and the concerned RC shall proceed to revise the next contested
precinct, and the parties shall be deemed to have waived the right
to claim or object to the remaining ballots in the said clustered
precinct; and

3. Revision of the contested clustered precinct containing more than


700 ballots shall be completed within 11 hours; otherwise,
completed or not, the same shall be stopped and the concerned
RC shall proceed to revise the next contested precinct, and the
parties shall be deemed to have waived the right to claim or
object to the remaining ballots in the said clustered precinct.

The period of revision shall commence from receipt of the ballot box
by the RC until its return to the Ballot Box Custodian after completing the
revision of ballots. The date and time of receipt indicated in the record book
of the Ballot Box Custodian shall be the reckoning period of the prescribed
time limit.

RULE 39. Security Check. - To prevent unauthorized removal of


ballots or other documents from the revision area, the Tribunal may require a
security check, which may include body search, on all persons entering or
leaving the revision area.

RULE 40. Recording ofData on Color-Coded Paper for Party's Own


Use. - To prevent the loss or disappearance of ballots and other documents,
the Tribunal shall assign to each of the parties a particular color code. Party
Revisors and their alternates shall be allowed to bring inside the revision area
only the assigned colored paper where recording of data for the party's own
use shall be made.
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RULE 41. Use of Color-Coded Pen. -To prevent unauthorized shading


or marking of the ballots, the Tribunal shall provide the Party Revisors with
color-coded pens to be used during revision.

RULE 42. Cost of Supplies and Other Necessary Expenses. - The cost
of pens, envelopes, storage boxes, and other materials and supplies used
during revision shall be charged against the cash deposit of the party
requesting the revision.

REPORT ON THE RESULT OF REVISION

RULE 43. Report on Revision. - Each of the RCs shall, using the form
to be provided by the Tribunal, prepare and submit a Revision Report on the
result of its revision of every ballot box the contents of which it has examined.
RULE 44. Completeness and Accuracy ofReport. - The Head Revisor
shall ensure that all pages of the Revision Report are complete, properly filled-
up and signed by the Party Revisors. Accuracy of the report is important. The
commission of any palpable error on the part of the Head Revisor shall be
sufficient cause for relief or dismissal.

RULE 45. Contents ofthe Revision Report. - The Revision Report shall
state the following:

1. The clustered precinct number, barangay, established precinct


numbers, city/municipality, and province;

2. The date and time of revision;

3. The condition of the ballot boxes and locking and sealing


mechanisms or contraptions;

4. The entries in the Minutes of Voting and Counting;

5. The entries in the ballot box copy of the Election Returns;

6. The votes of the parties per ballot box copy of the Election Returns;

7. The votes of the parties based on the Voter's Receipts;

8. The number of rejected ballots and their serial numbers;

9. The number of tom and unused ballots;

10. The data in the Initialization Report;

11. The data in the Audit Log Report;

12. The ballot ID indicated in the ballots;


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13. The votes of the parties and total votes for all other candidates per
physical count of the paper ballots, or picture images, as the case
may be;

14.The number of ballots objected to and claimed by the parties


indicating the exhibit numbers;

15. The number of uncontested and unclaimed ballots;

16.Comments and Observations, particularly on:


a. The forcible opening of the ballot box, if done;

b. The presence or absence of markings on the ballots;

c. The discrepancies on the votes obtained by the parties


appearing on the Election Returns vis-a-vis the physical count
of the ballots, if any;

d. Irregularities in the contents of the ballot box, if any; and

e. Irregularities or discrepancies in the contents of the election


documents, if any.

RULE 46. Who shall Accomplish the Forms. - Only the Head Revisor
shall be allowed to write on the original copy of the Revision Report. The
Annexes which shall contain the objections and claims shall be accomplished
by the Party Revisors.

Handwriting should be legible and all data required in the Revision


Report and Annexes should be supplied. The Head Revisor shall indicate NIA
if no applicable data could be supplied.
Only blue and red ball pens and marker pens shall be used in the
revision, which shall remain with the Head Revisor and placed in an
appropriate location, in such a way that it cannot be used to mark the ballots,
intentionally or unintentionally, during the segregation, classification, and
examination of ballots. Blue pens shall be used to accomplish the Revision
Reports and its annexes and red pens shall be used for the marking of the
contested or claimed ballots. Black ball pens or markers are definitely not
allowed.

Recording of data by the Party Revisors for their own use and reference
shall be done simultaneously with the recording of data on the Revision Report
by the Head Revisor to avoid disruption of the proceedings. No verification of
the Party Revisor's recording shall be entertained by the Head Revisor.

RULE 4 7. Who May Claim or Object to Ballots. -A Party Revisor shall


be allowed to claim or object to ballots only in behalf of the party that said
Revisor is officially representing.
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A Party Revisor shall not be allowed to object to the claims of another


Party Revisor.

RULE 48. Disputes between Party Revisors. - Any dispute between


Party Revisors as to data to be recorded in the Revision Report shall be
resolved by the Head Revisor. Should legal questions arise, the Head Revisor
shall refer the matter to the assigned Revision Supervisor. Objections to the
ruling of the Revision Supervisor may be addressed to the Tribunal in a proper
motion, but the same shall not suspend the revision proceedings.

ACCOMPLISHMENT OF THE REVISION REPORT

RULE 49. Forms, Annexes and Supplies. - The Head Revisor shall
ensure that the Revision Report Form, Annex Forms, Checklists, pens,
markers, supplies, and materials are complete before starting the revision for
a new ballot box. The Head Revisor shall retain the Revision Report Form and
Checklists and distribute to the Party Revisors the Annex Forms.

RULE 50. Preliminary Entries. -The Head Revisor shall write in print
on the appropriate spaces of the Revision Report the RC number, clustered
and established precinct numbers, city/municipality, province and ballot box
ID number to which the ballot box pertains, the date and time of the start of
the revision, and the names of the RC members.

RULE 51. External Condition of the Ballot Box. - Before opening the
ballot box, the Head Revisor shall examine the ballot box and the locks or
locking mechanism. The main purpose of the examination of the external
condition of the ballot box is to find out if there are positive signs that the
same has been forcibly opened or tampered with. The Head Revisor must
make a determination as to whether the integrity of the ballot box has been
preserved.

In the event the Head Revisor determines that the integrity of the ballots
and ballot box has been compromised, as when there is proof of tampering or
substitution, the Head Revisor shall report the matter to the assigned Revision
Supervisor. The Head Revisor shall still proceed to open the ballot box and
make a physical inventory of the contents thereof, and record his/her
observations on the condition of the ballots or ballot box in the Comments and
Observations Section of the Revision Report. The Head Revisor shall sign the
Revision Report and close the ballot box.

The assigned Revision Supervisor shall refer the matter to the Tribunal
for appropriate action.

The Head Revisor shall also record the number and brand of the locking
and sealing mechanisms or contraptions.

RULE 52. Opening of the Ballot Box. - The Head Revisor shall open
the ballot box by removing the locking and sealing mechanisms or
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contraptions. The manner of removal shall be reflected by the Head Revisor


in the Revision Report.

For unfinished ballot boxes from previous session, the Head Revisor
shall likewise remove the locking and sealing mechanism and the record the
manner of its removal.

RULE 53. Checklist of All the Contents. - Once the ballot box is
opened, the Head Revisor shall take out its contents, which shall be neatly
arranged on the revision table. The Head Revisor shall then accomplish the
checklist of all the contents of the ballot box.

RULE 54. Data from Minutes of Voting and Counting. - The Head
Revisor shall open the envelope for the Minutes of Voting and Counting,
record the condition of the envelope as well as of the Minutes of Voting and
Counting, and copy accurately the required data found therein in the
appropriate spaces of the Revision Report.

RULE 55. Data from the Election Returns. -The Head Revisor shall
also examine the Election Returns found inside the ballot box, record the
condition thereof, and copy the required data as well as the votes of the parties
appearing therein in the appropriate spaces of the Revision Report.
RULE 56. Rejected Ballots Classified at the Polling Place. - The Head
Revisor shall examine the envelope for Rejected Ballots, record the condition
of the envelope and paper seal, and indicate the paper serial number. The Head
Revisor shall proceed to count and record the total number of rejected ballots
and their serial numbers on the proper spaces of the Revision Report.

RULE 57. Other Items Found Inside the Ballot Box. - The Head
Revisor shall also record the number of tom and/or unused ballots, including
their serial numbers, indicate the presence or absence of the Initialization
Report, Audit Log, and Voter's Receipts and list all other items that may be
found inside the ballot box.

RULE 58. Physical Count of Valid Ballots. - The Head Revisor shall
count the valid ballots without regard to the votes obtained by the parties and
record the total number on the space provided for in the Revision Report.

RULE 59. Ballot ID Number. - The Head Revisor shall likewise check
the Ballot ID Number and Precinct Number indicated in each ballot to ensure
that the ballots being recounted are the same ballots specifically assigned to
the contested precinct.

In case any of the ballots does not pertain to the contested precinct, the
Head Revisor shall record this fact in the Comments and Observations section
of the Revision Report and inform the assigned Revision Supervisor
accordingly. The Revision Supervisor shall suspend the revision of the subject
ballot box and refer the matter to the Tribunal for appropriate action.
PET Revisor's Guide page - 13 _

RULE 60. Ballot Authentication. - Prior to the actual recount of the


votes of the parties, the Head Revisor, through the use of ultraviolet lamps or
other mechanisms capable of detecting the presence of hidden security codes
or marks, shall authenticate each and every ballot to ensure that the ballots are
genume.

In case any of the ballots is found to be spurious, the Head Revisor shall
record said observation in the Comments and Observations section of the
Revision Report and inform the assigned Revision Supervisor accordingly.
The Revision Supervisor shall suspend the revision of the subject ballot box
and refer the matter to the Tribunal for appropriate action.

RULE 61. Segregation and Classification of Valid Ballots. -The Head


Revisor shall segregate and classify the ballots into the following categories:
a. Ballots for the Protestant;

b. Ballots for the Protestee;

c. Ballots for Other Candidates; and

d. Ballots with Stray Votes (No Vote and Over Votes for the
contested position)

RULE 62. Votes of the Parties. - After the segregation and


classification of ballots, the Head Revisor shall count the total number of
ballots for the Protestant, Protestee, Other Candidates, and with Stray Votes
and record said matter on the appropriate spaces of the Revision Report.

In examining the shades or marks used to register the votes, the Head
Revisor shall bear in mind that the will of the voters reflected as votes in the
ballots shall, as much as possible, be given effect, setting aside any
technicalities. Furthermore, the votes thereon are presumed to have been made
by the voter and shall be considered as such unless reasons exist that will
justify their rejection. Any issue as to whether a certain mark or shade is
within the threshold shall be resolved by the assigned Revision Supervisor.
Any objection to the ruling of the Revision Supervisor shall not suspend the
revision of a particular ballot box. The ballot in question may be claimed or
objected to, as the case may be, by the revisor of the party concerned.

RULE 63. Viewing of Ballots by Party Revisors. - The Head Revisor


shall present the Ballots for the Protestant to Protestant's Revisor and the
Ballots for the Protestee to Protestee's Revisor, for viewing.

RULE 64. Objections by Party Revisors. - The Head Revisor shall then
present the Ballots for the Protestant to Protestee' s Revisor and the Ballots for
the Protestee to Protestant's Revisor, for examination and segregation of
ballots intended to be contested. Contested ballots shall be returned to the
Head Revisor for marking of exhibit numbers.
PET Revisor' s Guide page - 14 _

RULE 65. Claims on Ballots for Other Candidates. - The Head Revisor
shall present the Ballots for Other Candidates to the Party Revisors, who may
then register claims thereon. Claimed ballots shall be returned to the Head
Revisor for marking of exhibit numbers.
RULE 66. Claims on Ballots with Stray Votes. - The Ballots with Stray
Votes shall be presented to the Party Revisors to determine if there are legal
grounds to claim the votes registered on any or all of the ballots. The claimed
ballots shall be returned to the Head Revisor for marking of exhibit numbers.
RULE 67. Claims on Rejected Ballots. -The Rejected Ballots referred
to in RULE 56 above shall be presented to the Party Revisors to determine if
there are legal grounds to claim the votes registered on any or all of the ballots.
The claimed ballots shall be returned to the Head Revisor for marking of
exhibit numbers.

RULE 68. Marking of Exhibits. - The contested and claimed ballots


shall be marked separately and consecutively by the Head Revisor.

The Head Revisor shall record the number of uncontested and


unclaimed ballots, and objected and claimed ballots and their corresponding
exhibit numbers, on the appropriate spaces of the Revision Report.

The Party Revisors shall also proceed to accomplish the Annexes. They
should write brief or concise statements of their grounds for objections or
claims. Lengthy explanations or arguments shall not be allowed.

RULE 69. Other Contents ofthe Ballot Box. - The Head Revisor shall
then open the other envelopes for Audit Logs, other half-tom ballots and other
documents and fill up the appropriates spaces of the Revision Report.

RULE 70. Sealed Envelopes. -After the Party Revisors have completed
their respective work, the Head Revisor shall take possession of all ballots.
The ballots objected and claimed shall be consecutively arranged according
to their exhibit numbers and clipped together by the Head Revisor. The Head
Revisor shall review the exhibit numbers indicated on each of the said ballots
to ensure that the ballots are complete and the exhibit markings are accurate.

The Head Revisor shall place inside properly labelled envelopes the:
(a) CONTESTED VALID BALLOTS; (b) CLAIMED BALLOTS FOR
OTHER CANDIDATES, CLAIMED BALLOTS WITH STRAY VOTES
and CLAIMED REJECTED BALLOTS, (c) UNCONTESTED VALID
BALLOTS, and (d) UNCLAIMED BALLOTS FOR OTHER
CANDIDATES, UNCLAIMED BALLOTS WITH STRAY VOTES AND
UNCLAIMED REJECTED BALLOTS.

Before the contested, claimed and unclaimed ballots are placed inside
their respective envelopes, the Head Revisor shall direct the assigned alternate
Head Revisor to review the exhibit numbers indicated on each of the said
ballots to ensure that the ballots are complete, and the exhibit markings are
PET Revisor' s Guide page - 15 _

accurate. The alternate Head Revisor shall sign the page of the Revision
Report containing the data on the number of contested and claimed ballots and
exhibit numbers.

The envelopes shall then be sealed; and all members of the RC shall
affix their respective signatures over their printed names on the flap of each
sealed envelope. The assigned alternate Head Revisor shall countersign the
same.

The Head Revisor shall place inside the ballot box the sealed envelopes
and all the other contents of the ballot box.

RULE 71. Signatures of the RC Members. - The members of the RC


shall sign over their printed names at the end of the Revision Report and at
the left margin of every page thereof. They shall also sign at the left margin
of all the accomplished annexes. Revision Reports without the required
signatures shall not be accepted by a Revision Appraiser. If, for any reason, a
Party Revisor shall refuse to sign the Revision Report, such refusal shall be
noted by the Head Revisor in the Comments and Observations section of the
Revision Report, stating the reason(s) therefor. Refusal of any Party Revisor
to sign the Revision Report without justifiable reason(s) shall result in
disqualification to participate in the succeeding proceedings.

RULE 72. Annexes; Changes Therein. - The original copies of the


Annexes accomplished by the Party Revisors shall be attached to the Revision
Report prepared by the Head Revisor.

After the Annexes have been submitted by the Party Revisors, no


request for change of entries shall be entertained.

RULE 73. No Recount, Review and Statement of Claims and


Objections. -After a particular phase or stage of the revision process had been
completed, no request for recount, review, claims and/objections to the ballots
covered by the completed phase or stage of the revision shall be allowed or
entertained.

USE OF PICTURE IMAGES

RULE 74. Decryption and Authentication of SD Card. -The Tribunal


shall request the Commission on Elections (COMELEC) to decrypt and
authenticate the SD card of a contested precinct in any of the following
instances:

a. The Tribunal finds that the ballots inside the ballot box subject of
revision are spurious or are not the same ballots specifically
assigned to the contested precinct;

b. The ballot box does not contain the ballots;

c. The ballots are wet, damaged or in such a condition that the subject
ballots could not be revised;
PET Revisor' s Guide page - 16 -

d. The ballot box contains ballots in excess of the number of voters


who cast their votes;

e. Presence of any other conditions which show that the integrity if


ballots and ballot boxes used in the elections was not preserved; and

f. Upon motion of any of the parties, or ordered motu proprio by the


Tribunal, if the interest of justice so requires.
RULE 75. Printing and Authentication of Picture Images. - Upon
receipt from the COMELEC of the corresponding storage device containing
the decrypted images, the Tribunal shall order the printing of the picture
images which shall be undertaken in the presence of party representatives who
shall affix their signatures at the back portion of the printed images of the
ballots.

The Tribunal may avail itself of the assistance of the COMELEC for
the service of a non-partisan technical person who shall conduct the necessary
authentication process to ensure that the data or images stored are genuine.

Unless ordered motu proprio by the Tribunal, the cost of the decryption
and authentication of the SD cards, as well as the printing of the picture
images, shall be at the expense of the party requesting the same

RULE 76. Revision of Printed Picture Images. - In instances referred


to in RULE 74 when the ballots are not available for revision or the integrity
of the ballots and the ballot box was not preserved, as when there is proof of
tampering or substitution, the RC shall utilize the printed picture images of
the ballots for revision purposes. Revision of the printed picture images shall
follow the same procedure outlined for paper ballots.

RULE 77. Storage Box. -After completion of the revision proceedings,


the envelopes containing the revised printed picture images shall be placed
inside a custom-made container which shall be properly labeled with the
precinct number, city/municipality, and province. It shall be sealed with
masking tape on which all members of the RC shall affix their respective
signatures.

POST-REVISION PROCEDURE

RULE 78. Appraisal and Submission of Revision Report. - To


safeguard the integrity of the ballot box and its contents, the Head Revisor
shall seal the ballot box with a masking tape in the presence of the Party
Revisors before leaving the revision table. The Head Revisor shall then submit
the Revision Report, with its Annexes to an available Revision Appraiser.
The Revision Appraiser concerned shall ensure the completeness of the
entries in the Revision Report and require the RC members to supply any
lacking data. After being satisfied of its completeness, the Revision Appraiser
PET Revisor' s Guide page - 17 -

shall sign the Revision Report. The Revision Report shall be forwarded to the
Record Room for safe keeping.

RULE 79. New Security Seal. -After the Revision Appraiser has signed
the Revision Report, the Head Revisor shall secure a new security seal from
the Ballot Box Custodian and then return to the revision table. In the presence
of the Party Revisors, the Head Revisor shall attach the new security seal to
the ballot box and record its serial number on the Revision Report.

The Head Revisor shall then put a tape across the ballot box and write
"REVISED" on the tape which shall be signed by all RC members.

RULE 80. No Re-opening ofBallot Box. -After the ballot box has been
closed and sealed after its revision, no re-opening thereof shall be allowed.
Should the Head Revisor or a Party Supervisor determine a need to re-open
the same, a request may be filed with the Revision Supervisor concerned
stating the reason therefor. The written application and the action taken
thereon by the Revision Supervisor shall be attached to, and shall form part
of, the Revision Report.

RULE 81. Return of the Ballot Box. - After the ballot box has been
closed and sealed, the Head Revisor shall surrender the same to the Ballot Box
Custodian and sign the Ballot Box Monitoring Report.

RULE 82. RC Members to Stay. - No RC member shall be allowed to


leave the revision area until after the Revision Report has been checked by a
Revision Appraiser, the ballot box sealed, the tape signed by all RC members
and the ballot box surrendered to the Ballot Box Custodian for safekeeping.

RULE 83. Issuance of New Ballot Boxes. - There shall be no cut-off


time for the issuance of new ballot boxes for revision. Everybody is enjoined
to maximize revision hours, which officially end at 4:30 p.m.

RULE 84. Unfinished Ballot Boxes. - Should the revision of a ballot


box not be completed at the end of the session, the Head Revisor shall secure
a new security seal from the Ballot Box Custodian and then return to the
revision table. In the presence of the Party Revisors, the Head Revisor shall
record its serial number on the Revision Report, place all documents,
including the Revision Report, and the old locking and sealing mechanisms
and contraptions, inside the ballot box. The Head Revisor shall then put a
masking tape across the ballot box and label it as "UNFINISHED"; and
surrender the ballot box to the Ballot Box Custodian.

RULE 85. Surrender of Forms and Supplies. - At the end of the day,
the Head Revisor shall surrender all supplies and unused forms to the assigned
Tribunal personnel.
PET Revisor' s Guide page - 18 -

REPRODUCTION OF REVISION REPORTS

RULE 86. Official Copies of Revision Reports. - Upon prior request,


official copies of the Revision Reports shall be furnished to the parties. The
cost of reproduction shall be charged against them.

Should the parties so desire, they may submit a written request to the
Tribunal to install their own photocopying machine in the premises; provided,
however, that the photocopying shall be undertaken by authorized Tribunal
personnel and the corresponding electric consumption shall be charged to the
party concerned.

RULE 87. Prohibition on Manual Copying. - Manual copying of


Revision Reports shall not be allowed to avoid disruption of the workflow of
Tribunal personnel.

AMENDMENT AND EFFECTIVITY

RULE 88. Amendment. - These Rules may be amended at any time by


the Tribunal.
RULE 89. Effectivity. - These Rules shall take effect immediately upon
approval and shall remain in full force and effect unless amended, suspended
or superseded by the Tribunal.

APPROVED: January 16, 2018

MARIA LOURDES P.A. SERENO


Chief Justice
Chairperson

PRESBITE~O J. VELASCO, JR.


Associate Justice sociate Justice
Member Member

~~AfulM
TERESITA J. LEONARDO-DE CASTRO
Associate Justice Associa\e Justice
Member Member
PET Revisor' s Guide page - 19 _

~~
MARIANO C. DEL CASTILLO
Associate Justice
Member

110.~
ESTELA M'.~fERLAS-BERNABE
Associate Justice
Member

FRANCIS
-
I"'~·
.. 44 q '---
..

Associate Justice
Member

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~~~-~~
- ~- /
SAMUEL R. MARTIRES
Associate Justice
Member
NOEL G
Asso ate "Ju~e
Member
E TIJAM

ANDRE~lfEYES, JR.
AssJciJke Justice
Member

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