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Brillantes: Unofficial results blown out of proportion

Patricia Lourdes Viray - Philstar.com

MANILA, Philippines — Former Commission on Elections (Comelec) Chair Sixto Brillantes Jr. on Monday said that the unofficial results of the 2016 general elections are blown out of proportion.

Brillantes reminded the public that the results from the transparency server of the poll body is unofficial.

"Whether there are mistakes, errors or changes therein is no big deal. The official count which will render the transparency results insignificant shall be undertaken by the constitutionally mandated canvassing body - the Congress of the Philippines," Brillantes said in a statement posted on his Twitter account.

The former Comelec chief also noted that any member of the poll body, referring to Commissioner Rowena Guanzon, should not be "shouting to high heavens" that Smartmatic violated protocols.

Brillantes said that it would be awkward for any member of the poll body to lambast its own contracted provider without starting any investigation.

WATCH: Guanzon slams Smartmatic for breaking Comelec protocol

"The manner in which the Comelec commissioner has been relentlessly and recklessly assailing its own contracted provider even before the investigation she is proposing has been commenced, only projects a disarranged management of the electoral processes which benefits no one, much less the Comelec itself," Brillantes said.

The former Comelec chair, however, said the poll body should take command responsibility if proven that a Comelec personnel or official gave Smartmatic the password to change a code in one of its servers.

"In fine, I still maintain that if indeed the change was simply cosmetic and that the results were unaffected and the process involved is still admittedly unofficial, the same should not have been blown out of proportion," the former Comelec chief said.

Brillantes also questioned the claim of Camarines Sur Rep. Leni Robredo of victory in the vice presidential race when the Congress has not yet convened as a canvass body.

"Now Robredo wants (Sen. Bongbong Marcos) to concede based on alleged small unofficial lead. She cannot be that presumptuous," Brillantes said.

The former Comelec chief cited that Robredo's running mate, Mar Roxas, never conceded in the 2010 vice presidential race even after official count by the Congress. Roxas lost by more than 700,000 votes to Jejomar Binay.

READ: Robredo claims victory | Tatad lawyer backs Marcos’ poll fraud claim

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