THE Commission on Elections on Tuesday confirmed it will proclaim the winning senators and party-list candidates in this year’s elections on Thursday.
Comelec Commissioner Rowena Guanzon said Comelec sitting as the National Board of Canvassers will proclaim the 12 winning senators along with the newly elected party-list groups after more than a week of canvassing.
She made her statement even as two returning congressmen and three neophyte members of the incoming 17th Congress went to the House of Representatives on Monday morning to present their credentials.
Former Speaker Arnulfo Fuentebella of Camarines Sur, and Reps. Federico Sandoval II of Malabon City, Alberto Ungab of Davao City, Manuel Jose Dalipe of second district of Zamboanga City and Johnny Pimentel of second district of Surigao del Sur, submitted to the Office of the House Secretary-General the original copies of their Certificates of Canvass of Votes and Proclamation issued by the Provincial City or District Board of Canvassers, together with their Oath of Office signed by duly authorized official.
In the 2013 Senatorial elections, the Comelec proclaimed senators on separate days: one day for the first six winners and another day for the seventh to 12th.
This year, the Comelec decided to proclaim all senatorial candidates at the same time.
Guanzon said they are still expecting some Certificate of Canvass in some provinces until Wednesday.
House Speaker Feliciano Belmonte and Senate President Franklin Drilon would need to meet with the en banc before they could be proclaimed.
Both Liberal Party contenders Senate President Franklin Drilon and former Tesda director-general Joel Villanueva topped the senatorial race, the Comelec said.
Based on the canvassed voting result, the official and partial count showed that Drilon garnered 18,307,801 votes while Villanueva got 8,212,639
Senator Vicente Sotto III came in third with 16,985,226 votes followed by former senators Panfilo Lacson with 16,687,586 and Richard Gordon with 16,444,672.
The rest of the top 12 were former senator Juan Miguel Zubiri with 15,788,531 votes; Saranggani Rep. and boxing champion Manny Pacquiao wifh 15,735,079; former Akbyan Rep. Risa Hontiveros with 15, 673, 393; former Sen. Francis Pangilinan with 15,665,050; Valenzuela City Repl Sherwin Gatchalian with 14,726,503 votes; Sen. Ralph Recto with 14,030,498; and former Justice Secretary Leila de Lima with 13,894,048.
The 13th placer, Francis Tolentino, has blocked moves to proclaim the winning senators until 100 percent of the votes have been canvassed.