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MANILA, Philippines – A day after the closing of polls, election results for national posts are coming in at a snail’s pace and surprise winners become the hottest topics. Meanwhile, some proclamations in local elections show incumbents re-elected while others put neophytes on the political map.
United Nationalist Alliance demanded an explanation from the Commission on Elections (Comelec) for the slow transmission of election results on Tuesday, May 14.
UNA campaign manager Toby Tiangco said that compared to the result transmissions during the May 2010 elections, the transmission of votes this elections is much slower.
During an interview with Rappler CEO Maria Ressa on Rappler’s PHVote Newscast, Tiangco said that by midnight of 2010 election day, 80% of the results had already been transmitted. This year, only close to 70% had been transmitted a day after the polls.
He urged Comelec to also explain where the remaining 30% of results is.
In a press conference on the same day, Comelec chief Sixto Brillantes Jr attributed the delay to poor signals. He added that finalizing the official tally will take longer because of the “ladderized” system of transmission in which election results pass through a city or municipal canvassing server and a provincial canvassing center before reaching the national board of canvassers (NBOC), the only group that can finalize the count for the senatorial and party-list races.
Suspended canvassing
Later that day, Brillantes announced that the NBOC had suspended the canvassing of party-list results to prevent a delay in the canvassing of results for the senatorial race.
The decision was made after several issues regarding the party-list race hampered the canvassing of senatorial votes. Brillantes said that the canvassing for party-list votes will begin only after all the results for the senatorial race are in.
Senatorial race
Grace Poe maintains her top spot in the senatorial race. The independent candidate has over one million votes more than her closest contender, Loren Legarda of the Nationalist People’s Coalition.
As of 11pm, the 10 other candidates in the top 12 are: Alan Peter Cayetano, Chiz Escudero, Nancy Binay, Sonny Angara, Bam Aquino, Koko Pimentel, Antonio Trillanes IV, Cynthia Villar, JV Ejercito, Gringo Honasan.
See the live results through Rappler’s Mirror Server here.
Liberal Party chairman Franklin Drilon said Poe’s lead in the polls is “a pleasant surprise.” He credits her success to a well-transmitted message to the public that she will carry on with the work of her father, the late Fernando Poe Jr, who lost to Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo in the 2010 presidential race.
Local elections results
In local elections, the reign of powerful political clans is challenged by candidates who snagged victory in the local races.
Rolen Paulino was proclaimed the mayorial race winner in Olongapo, ending the almost-quarter-century grip of the powerful Gordon clan in the city.
He won with a lead of 40,664 votes against Anne Marie Gordon. His running mate, congressional candidate for 1st district of Zambales Jeffrey Khonghun, also snatched victory from James “Bong” Gordon Jr.
In Bulacan, the same pattern emerged with first-time mayoral candidates beating incumbent mayors in their towns.
In Hagonoy town, Raulito “Amboy” Manlapaz Jr. of the Partido ng Masang Pilipino unseated re-electionist Mayor Angel Cruz Jr. In Paombong, independent candidate Isagani Castro defeated LP bet Mary Ann Marcos. In Norzgaray town, long-time mayor Fel Legazpi was beaten by neophyte Alfredo Germar of the Liberal Party.
The country expects more proclamations of local race winners within the next hours. The Comelec hopes to announce the official tally of senatorial race winners by 7 p.m. on May 15.
As of 12 a.m. on May 14, 69% of votes have been transmitted. – Pia Ranada/Rappler.com
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