‘Proclamation of Magic 12 based on good canvass’

MANILA, Philippines - It was on “good canvass report” that poll officials had based their proclamation of the 12 winning senators, Commission on Elections (Comelec) Chairman Sixto Brillantes Jr. said yesterday.

“As I’ve been saying, those who disagree with the earlier proclamation, they go up somewhere else. If they want to still create problem with senators, it’s okay with us. They can go anywhere because they raise so many issues,” he said.

Brillantes has shrugged off former chief justice Artemio Panganiban’s statement that the early proclamation of the 12 senators was without legal and factual basis.

“That’s okay with me. We already proclaimed the Magic 12. With the 12 proclamations, everything has been validated already,” he said.

He added that if there is anyone who can question the outcome of the canvassing, it should be former senator Richard Gordon, who ended up in the 13th slot. Gordon lost the 12th slot to re-electionist senator Gregorio Honasan by more than 700,000 votes.

“It was based on the good canvass report and the certificate of canvass is already available. A good canvas, if you will read our resolution, is the guide to determine whether we can project (ranking),” he added.

But he emphasized that the Comelec would be coming out with an official ranking of the 12 senators as soon as the National Board of Canvassers completes the canvassing of all certificates of canvass (COCs).

“It’s only the ranking that is missing here. We are going to finish it,” said Brillantes.

Last week, the Comelec proclaimed Grace Poe, Loren Legarda, Chiz Escudero, Alan Peter Cayetano, Nancy Binay, Juan Edgardo Angara, Bam Aquino, Koko Pimentel, Cynthia Villar, Antonio Trillanes, JV Ejercito Estrada, and Gringo Honasan as winners in the senatorial race.

The proclamation was based on 129 canvassed COCs, representing 39.9 million voters. There are a total of 304 COCs.

Several quarters earlier lashed out at Comelec for “prematurely” proclaiming the 12 winners.

Defective precinct count optical scan (PCOS) machines as well as close fights in the local polls had delayed the transmission of COCs.

At Malacañang, deputy presidential spokesperson Abigail Valte said candidates with poll concerns should raise them up before the Comelec.

“As (Budget) Secretary Butch Abad did say over the weekend, there are avenues for these concerns to be properly addressed,” she said in reaction to senator-elect JV Ejercito’s calling for a probe on alleged election irregularities in a television interview.

Ejercito, meanwhile, said he was wondering why he landed in the tail-end in official election results but stressed it was good enough that he made it.

“During surveys, I was ranked fifth to sixth place. I was kind of surprised that I was in the tail end,” Ejercito told ANC television.

“This is a great opportunity. Whatever our ranking in Top 12, we are still winners,” Ejercito said.

His elder half-brother Jinggoy Estrada is Senate president pro-tempore.

“We are not buy one-take one. We have our own stand on issues. We respect each other’s positions,” Ejercito said.

Ejercito said he will continue his advocacy for higher subsidy for state colleges and universities (SUCs).

“I will focus on state education, youth issues. I do not believe in dole-outs. I want to invest in education instead,” Ejercito said.

In Bacolod City, defeated senatorial candidate Juan Miguel Zubiri, who was No. 14 in the senatorial race, thanked his supporters even as he vowed to continue his advocacy for uplifting the poor and uniting the nation, saying it is time to move on. – With Delon Porcalla, Danny Dangcalan, Perseus Echeminada, Eva Visperas, Jose Rodel Clapano