The Commission on Elections (Comelec) said Thursday it is ready to proclaim the winning senators in the just-concluded May 9 polls after determining that the Certificates of Canvass (COCs) from areas that have yet to submit their vote counts will no longer affect the overall senatorial rankings.
Acting Comelec spokesman, lawyer John Rex Laudiangco, said they want the proclamation to be held immediately, and “by immediate, we mean the canvass had practically covered and most of the COCs and those remaining votes perhaps referring to a special election will not anymore affect the canvass.”
“If we reach that point, the Comelec will not delay the proclamation. We want this to be over and done with. The earlier we could proclaim the better… it will be a big savings to the government. For as long as we had canvassed and the remaining votes will not affect anymore (the results), I know for sure the NBOC (National Board of Canvasser) will schedule the proclamation,” he added.
Among those that have yet to submit their COCs are 14 Lanao del Sur barangays where special polls will be held, and the Philippine Embassy in Beijing where the Chinese government imposed a lockdown due to a surge in Covid-19 cases. The Lanao Sur villages have only some 10,000 registered voters while the Beijing post has only 1,991 voters.
Meanwhile, Laudiangco reminded the 12 winning senators to limit their companions during their proclamation rites. “We have to remind them we need to limit their companion like what we did during the filing of the Certificate of Candidacy (COC),” he said.