Belmonte confident of winning in Quezon City

Speaker Feliciano "Sonny" Belmonte expressed confidence that he will win the Quezon City mayoral race after casting his ballot early yesterday morning.

Belmonte, who was among the earliest candidates to vote, said in an interview that his team had run a good campaign and he saw no reason why he cannot clinch victory over his opponents.

"I feel I have a great chance of running away with the elections, since I believe I have succeeded in imparting my message to the people – good, clean governance" Belmonte told reporters at the Christ The King polling place in Quezon City.

Belmonte said he did not feel tired at all after his hectic campaign, but admitted he had lost his voice several times while going around the city talking to voters.

"I’m in great shape. Yes, I lost my voice a few times, but I did not even catch cold during the course of the campaign. I couldn’t sleep until dawn yesterday and I still don’t feel the least bit tired despite rising very early this morning" Belmonte said.

The People Power Coalition’s mayoral bet also called on authorities to take utmost care in making sure all the ballots are secured so everyone can feel that the elections were honest.

Belmonte arrived at about 7:30 a.m., at the precinct on E. Rodriguez Street in Barangay Kristong Hari, and later went around the city to "check on the other polling sectors."

"I am not going inside other precincts for a last-minute campaign or to celebrate because it is too late and too early for that. I just want to make sure every ballot is attained and in order," he said.

Voters looked surprised when the Speaker stood in line with others and waited for his turn. He even joked to onlookers: "May kodigo pa ako!" and showed a list of PPC candidates he had in his pocket.

According to Toby Balboa, of the Parish Pastoral Council for Responsible Voting, he was surprised to see hundreds of people already forming lines as early as 5 a.m.

He said that normally, it was in the afternoon when voters showed up and said that it was a nice change of atmosphere. "The only problem is, many of the people still don’t know much about the voting process, so we give them help with our Voters’ Assistance Desk," Balboa said.

At least a dozen policemen from the Central Police District of the Philippine National Police were deployed in the polling center to ensure a safe and orderly election.

"We have been here since 4 a.m. just to make sure everything is in order. There are about five uniformed police officers patrolling the area, while the others are stationed at the guardhouse," SPO2 Tony Espiritu said. – Matthew Estabillo and Cecille Suerte Felipe