DFA turns over COCs, ERs to Comelec

MANILA, Philippines - The Department of Foreign Affairs-Overseas Absentee Voting Secretariat (DFA-OAVS) turned over on Thursday to the Commission on Elections (Comelec) the certificates of canvass (COCs) and election returns (ERs) of almost all embassies and consulates general.

Tallies from 89 foreign service posts which implemented the postal and personal modes of voting have been submitted.

The DFA said the tallies from four remaining embassies which are being verified will no longer have an effect on the outcome of the elections.

DFA-OAVS vice chairman Nestor Padalhin personally delivered to the National Board of Canvassers the ERs and COCs for president and vice president submitted by the chairpersons of the different special boards of canvassers of embassies and consulates general that canvassed the votes of about 153,300 overseas absentee voters worldwide.

As of May 19, partial and unofficial results show Liberal Party (LP) standard-bearer Sen. Benigno Aquino III leading all presidential bets with 68,281 votes, followed by Bangon Pilipinas’ Eduardo Villanueva with 17,702 votes and Nacionalista Party’s Senator Manuel Villar with 14,974 votes.

Garnering fourth place is Lakas-CMD’s Gilberto Teodoro with 11,505 votes, followed by Pwersa ng Masang Pilipino’s Joseph Estrada (6,653), Bagumbayan’s Richard Gordon (5,496), Ang Kapatiran’s John Carlos de los Reyes, independent candidate Jamby Madrigal (196), independent bet Nicanor Perlas (178) and Kilusang Bagong Lipunan’s (KBL) Vetellano Acosta (128).

For vice president, LP’s Sen. Manuel Roxas leads with 67,395 votes, followed by Nationalist People’s Coalition’s Sen. Loren Legarda (17,136) and PDP-Laban’s Jejomar Binay (16,395).

Following them are Bangon Pilipinas’ Perfecto Yasay (12,011), Bagumbayan’s Bayani Fernando (7,933), Lakas-CMD’s Eduardo Manzano (2,462), KBL’s Jay Sonza (645) and Ang Kapatiran’s Dominador Chipeco Jr. (183).

The top 12 senators are the following: Franklin Drilon (72,319); Miriam Defensor Santiago (70,404); Ramon Bong Revilla Jr. (59,606); Pilar Juliana Cayetano (55,206); Ralph Recto (54,741); Jinggoy Estrada (53,477); Juan Ponce Enrile (52,317); Ferdinand Marcos Jr. (48,038); Teofisto Guingona III (45,245); Vicente Sotto III (43,820); Sergio Osmeña III (43,576), and; Sonia Roco (37,801).

The next 12 senatorial candidates with the highest votes are: Rozzano Rufino Biazon (36,332); Ana Theresia Hontiveros (36,244); Jose de Venecia III (35,429), Gilbert Remulla (29,980); Francisco Tatad (29,582); Alexander Lacson (25, 232); Manuel Lapid (24,552); Susan Ople (24, 041); Katherine Luningning Inocencio (23,552), Rey Langit (21,435); Saturnino Ocampo (21,297), and; Liza Maza (20,311).