Comelec expects 167 COCs as Villar leads official count

The Commission on Elections ( Comelec) on Wednesday clarified that they are expecting to receive 167 certificate of canvass ( COCs).

“We just need to correct that statistical information that says 130… it’s 167,” Comelec spokesperson James Jimenez said in a briefing.

Of the 167, 130 will come from automated local and overseas voting, 35 from manual election overseas, one from local absentee voting and one for detainee voting.

As of 3 pm, the National Board of Canvassers ( NBOC) has received a total of 54 certificates of canvass from local and overseas with 20 canvassed midday.

Re-electionist Senator Cynthia Villar remained on the top spot with 8,010,459 gathered partial votes.

Areas that they were received certificates of canvass came from Antique, Catanduanes, Batanes, Cebu City, Spain, Sultan Kudarat, Abra, Kalinga, Ilocos Sur, Caloocan City, Romblon, New Zealand, Italy, South Cotabato, Davao del Norte, Masbate, Nueva Ecija, Zamboanga Sibugay, Marikina City and Laguna.

Another senatorial aspirant, Grace Poe was still second with 7, 126, 471 votes followed by former special presidental aide Christopher'' Bong'' Go with 6, 480, 823; Taguig Rep. Pia Cayetano with 6, 408, 348 votes, and former Philippine National Police chief Ronald Dela Rosa with 6, 123, 299.

In sixth place was re-electionist Senator Sonny Angara with 5, 911, 620; Ilocos Norte Gov. Imee Marcos seventh with 5, 531, 450; former Senator Lito Lapid eighth with 5, 166, 686; former presidential adviser Francis Tolentino ninth with 4, 982,062; re-electionist Senator Koko Pimentel tenth with 4, 817, 491; re-electionist Senator Nancy Binay 11th with 4, 708, 771 votes, and re-electionist Senator JV Ejercito 12th with 4, 690, 666 votes.

In the partial and unofficial count of the Parish Pastoral Council for Responsible Voting ( PPCRV), Ejercito is at 13th with 14,001,516 while Bong Revilla who is 10th, got 4,327,203 from the canvassed areas.

The only opposition candidate who is close to the Magic 12 is re-electionist Bam Aquino who has 4,391,949 votes.

The NBOC received 34 COCs and are expecting 113 COCs. Ella Dionisio/DMS