Friday, May 25, 2007
Poll body defers canvassing of 5 COCs
MANILA -- Over 1 million votes have not been counted by the Commission on Elections (Comelec) after it deferred the canvassing of five more certificates of canvass (COCs) due to "discrepancies."
Aside from the COC from Maguindanao, the others set aside were from Luuk in Sulu, which has a total of 23,357 voters; Biñan in Laguna with 106,038 registered voters; Las Piñas City with 332,175 voters; and Pasay City with 254,432 registered voters.
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Canvassing of Maguindanao's COC was deferred due to fraud allegations and the absence of the provincial election supervisor.
Comelec spokesman James Jimenez said the COCs would be canvassed once the discrepancies were corrected.
The Comelec also suspended the canvassing of the COC from North Cotabato after seeing discrepancies again. North Cotabato has 556,678 registered voters.
Jimenez said he does not know when the corrections would be completed since there are still hearings being conducted on the cases.
He said they hope to resolve the cases soonest so that they could proclaim the winners before the June 30 deadline.
At the same time, Comelec Chairman Benjamin Abalos postponed the partial proclamation of the top nine senators supposedly scheduled on Saturday since there are still uncanvassed COCs that have not been counted.
He said the uncanvassed COCs have a big number of voters and it can still affect the standings of the candidates.
The tallies by the Comelec and by the National Citizens' Movement for Free Elections (Namfrel) of votes cast for the senatorial race showed that Genuine Opposition (GO) candidates still dominated the count.
Eight senatorial bets from the Genuine Opposition (GO), two from the administration's Team Unity (TU), and two independent candidates were in the "Magic 12" or the top 12 places for the required 12 Senate seats.
In Comelec's tally as of 6 p.m., Loren Legarda (GO) remains on top with 13,321,658 votes followed by Francis Escudero with 13,176,567 votes.
Panfilo Lacson (GO) stays in third place with 11,098,665 votes followed by Manuel Villar at fourth with 11,044,232 votes.
Independent candidate Francis Pangilinan was in fifth place with 10,492,375 votes. Following him was Benigno "Noynoy" Aquino III (GO) at sixth with 10,272,714 votes; Edgardo Angara (TU) at seventh with 8,832,343 votes; Alan Peter Cayetano (GO) at eighth with 8,425,994 votes; Joker Arroyo (TU) at ninth with 8,341,630 votes; Gregorio Honasan (independent) at 10th with 8,252,213 votes; Antonio Trillanes (GO) at 11th with 7,985,444 votes; and Aquilino "Koko" Pimentel (GO) at 12th with 7,627,229 votes.
Outside the Magic 12 were TU candidates Juan Miguel Zubiri with 7,607,490 votes; Michael Defensor with 7,016,505 votes; and Prospero Pichay with 6,779,475 votes, in 13th, 14th and 15th, respectively.
In Namfrel's canvass as of 5:35 p.m. covering 69.60 percent of polling precincts nationwide, Legarda also led the race with 12,053,363 votes.
Escudero remained at the second slot with 11,794,935 votes followed by Lacson at third with 10,385,738 votes, while Villar at fourth place with 9,945,033 votes.
Independent candidate Pangilinan is at fifth with 9,475,559 votes. Aquino landed at sixth position with 9,427,298 votes.
Trailing Aquino are Angara at seventh with 8,254,853 votes; Honasan at eighth with 7,738,409 votes; Cayetano at ninth with 7,680,854 votes; Arroyo at 10th with 7,514,539 votes; Trillanes at 11th with 7,367,629 votes; and Pimentel with 7,227,116 votes at 12th.
Placing 13th, 14th and 15th are Zubiri with 6,977,044 votes; Ralph Recto (TU) with 6,790,342 votes and Defensor with 6,407,057 votes. (MSN/Badeth Abonita and Hannah Oliva-UST interns/Sunnex)
For more Philippine news, visit Sun.Star Cagayan de Oro. (May 25, 2007 issue)
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