Winning senators may be proclaimed tonight

MANILA, Philippines — As canvassing of votes resumed late last night after another delay, the proclamation of winning senators may take place tonight, and the party-list tomorrow.

Commission on Elections (Comelec) assistant director Frances Arabe told reporters they hope to finish canvassing today and proclaim the new batch of senators tonight.

He said there had been delays in the transmission of certificates of canvass (COCs) from the United States (Washington) and Saudi Arabia.

As of 8 p.m. yesterday, four COCs from abroad with 633,527 votes and one COC from Isabela province with 1,050,681 votes still waited to be canvassed.

These are from Japan with 76,166 votes; Saudi Arabia with 326,620 votes; United States (Washington), 228,472 votes; and Abuja, Nigeria with 1,999 votes.

Arabe said the transmission of votes from overseas voting was delayed primarily due to defective SD cards.

On the other hand, the Comelec conducted special elections at five polling precincts in Jones, Isabela yesterday after a vote counting machine containing the ballots was snatched and burned by armed men on election day.

But based on the 165 COCs tabulated last Sunday, the leading candidates in the senatorial race are Cynthia Villar (24,757,642), Grace Poe (21,563,558), Bong Go (20,223,738), Pia Cayetano (19,390,096), Bato dela Rosa (18,639,583) and Sonny Angara (17,786,740);

Lito Lapid (16,587,742), Imee Marcos (15,362,702), Francis Tolentino (15,196,397), Koko Pimentel (14,395,957), Bong Revilla (14,279,625), and Nancy Binay (14,065,071).

Hanging on to the 13th and 14th places are JV Ejercito (13,983,153) and Bam Aquino (13,895,154). The tally is based on 162 out of the 167 COCs already canvassed.

Meanwhile, Dela Rosa is ahead in the senatorial race in Metro Manila, dislodging persistent topnotcher, re-electionist Villar.

Based on partial official tally of the Comelec sitting as NBOC Sunday night, Dela Rosa eased out Villar from the top slot by merely 134,561 votes. – With Edu Punay