Senate to resume regular session on May 23 ahead of canvassing
MANILA, Philippines — The Senate is set to resume its third regular session on Monday, May 23, before it joins the House of Representatives in the official canvassing of the presidential and vice presidential results.
The Senate's public relations and information bureau said in an emailed statement on Saturday that on Monday morning, the Senate will approve a concurrent resolution allowing them and the House to convene as the National Board of Canvassers (NBOC) on May 24.
As NBOC, both chambers of Congress will canvass the votes and proclaim the next president and vice president of the country.
Since the day of the polls, the Senate has been receiving the election returns for the highest government posts in the country.
Once the third regular session begins, the Senate is expected to pass on the third and final reading an act which establishes a proposed provincial science and technology office, a creative industries charter and a parent effectiveness service program, among others. The third regular session will end on June 3. The actual closing of the 18th Congress will be on June 30.
Based on the partial and unofficial tally of the May 9 poll results, former senator Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos, Jr. is leading by a wide margin after garnering 31.10 million votes compared to his archrival Leni Robredo who has 14.8 million votes.
The Supreme Court earlier ordered Marcos, Comelec, the Senate and House to comment on a petition to issue a temporary restraining order on the canvassing of Marcos' votes and his proclamation as the 17th president.
The petition was filed by a group of Martial Law victims.
Shortly after, Senate President Vicente "Tito" Sotto III said that the Congress is bound by the Constitution to act as the NBOC, and that the law cannot be amended by a TRO.
RELATED: Sotto warns of ‘constitutional crisis’ if SC halts congressional canvass
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