MANILA, Philippines — With a little more than 5% of votes remaining to be tallied Tuesday noon, re-electionist Sen. Bam Aquino has become the Otso Diretso bet closest to clawing a spot in the Magic 12.
The Commission on Elections’ latest partial and unofficial results as of 11:26 a.m., showed Aquino at the 14th spot with 13,707,133 votes.
The latest tally recorded 94.47% of the votes across the country. It showed administration-backed candidates dominating the 12 Senate seats up for grabs in the poll.
To make it to the winners’ circle, Aquino still has to, at least, edge out fellow re-electionists Sen. JV Ejercito, who is on the 13th spot, and 12th placer Sen. Nancy Binay.
FOLLOW: Live updates: Senatorial election in the Philippines
Otso Diretso bets concede
Aquino’s fellow Senate bets from the Otso Diretso slate, however, already accepted their defeat.
Veteran elections lawyer Romulo Macalintal was among the first Senate candidates to admit his loss early Tuesday morning.
Rights lawyer Chel Diokno, Erin Tañada and Marawi civic leader Samira Gutoc have also expressed defeat.
But Sen. Francis “Kiko” Pangilinan, Otso Diretso’s campaign manager, is keeping his hopes alive.
Pangilinan noted in a statement early Tuesday morning that “about seven percent of votes or about three million votes are still to be counted in the unofficial tally.”
“Perhaps the remaining seven percent will still win one or two of our candidates. We will remain vigilant to the end,” he added.
Pangilinan also asked the Comelec to explain the irregularities during the voting and counting.
The senator also stressed that Otso Diretso bets did not join the elections certain for victory.
“We acted not for the certainty of victory but the certainty of our beliefs and conviction. Whatever the result of the election, we forge ahead with our convictions and beliefs. Our fight for justice, for sovereignty and more progressive future for our people continues,” he added. — Kristine Joy Patag