Namfrel’s count also shows 8-4-1 for PPC

Pre-election poll surveys appeared to have correctly predicted an eight-four-one sharing of the 13 senatorial seats at stake in Monday’s elections.

As shown by the various runup poll surveys to the elections, partial tabulation by the citizens arm National Movement for Free Elections (Namfrel) had independent candidate Noli de Castro leading the so-called "magic circle" by a wide margin over first runner-up pro-administration re-electionist Juan Flavier.

Other senatorial bets of the ruling People Power Coalition (PPC) who made the lead pack were re-electionist Franklin Drilon, former Makati Rep. Joker Arroyo, re-electionists Sergio Osmeña III and Ramon Magsaysay Jr., lawyer Francis Pangilinan, former Speaker Manuel Villar Jr. and former Batangas Rep. Ralph Recto.

Only four from the side of the opposition Puwersa ng Masa-Laban ng Demokratikong Pilipino (PnM-LDP) entered the magic circle: former Executive Secretary Edgardo Angara, controversial former Philippine National Police chief Panfilo Lacson, former First Lady Dr. Luisa Ejercito-Estrada and re-electionist Gregorio "Gringo" Honasan.

As of 3:16 p.m. yesterday, the Namfrel tally board showed:

1. De Castro...300,880

2. Flavier...245,570

3. Drilon...230,716

4. Arroyo...226,757

5. Osmeña...225,015

6. Angara...219,309

7. Magsaysay...214,985

8. Pangilinan...212,905

9. Villar...212,838

10. Lacson...199,577

11. Recto...199,463

12. Estrada...194,251

13. Honasan...193,705

14. Miriam Defensor-Santiago (PnM-LDP)...184,254

15. Juan Ponce Enrile (PnM-LDP)...179,077

16. Ricardo Puno (PnM-LDP)...175,777

17. Wigberto Tañada (PPC)...166,493

18. Orlando Mercado (PnM-LDP)...148,701

19. Roberto Pagdanganan (PPC)...146,873

20. Solita Monsod (PPC)...144,644

21. Ernesto Herrera (PPC)...129,833

22. Perfecto Yasay (Ind)...104,824

23. Jamby Madrigal (PnM-LDP)...101,311

24. Santanina Rasul (PnM-LDP)...98,733

25. Liwayway Vinzons-Chato (PPC)...97,209

26. Ombra Tamano (PnM-LDP)...63,027

The partial result was culled from tabulation reports of 4,023 precincts out of 204,945 precincts across the country.

The Commission on Elections has reported a heavy turnout (85 percent) of the 36.5 million registered voters nationwide.

In another development, Namfrel’s Operation Quick Count (OQC) suffered a serious setback due to a computer glitch that wreaked havoc on its tabulation.

Namfrel executive director Telibert Laoc assured the people, however, that the technical trouble would not adversely affect the credibility of its count.

"It’s our fault," Laoc admitted.

Reporters covering the Namfrel tabulation discovered that Namfrel bulletins 7 and 8 showed that the total votes for each candidate dropped by some 50 percent instead of going up.

Laoc explained that their computers hang.

"The shifting personnel were using a damaged file so they produced the wrong bulletin," said Bobby Mauricio, head of Namfrel’s technical department.