DFA submits poll returns from OFW voters

Save for four Embassies, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) submitted Thursday the certificates of canvass (COC) and election returns (ER) for over 150,000 Filipinos worldwide who cast their ballots for the overseas absentee voting (OAV). In a release posted on its Web site, the DFA-OAV Secretariat said tallies from 89 foreign service posts for 153,300 Filipinos who participated in the OAV have been turned over to the Commission on Elections (Comelec). “The tallies from the four remaining Embassies which are being verified will not have an effect on the outcome of the elections," the release added. The number of votes tallied represents only 26 percent of the 589,830 registered Filipinos overseas. While this is higher than the 16 percent or 81,732 overseas Filipinos who cast their ballots in the 2007 elections, this year’s OAV turnout is still very low compared to the 65 percent or 233,092 votes cast in the 2004 presidential elections. According to the release, partial and unofficial results of the OAV as of May 19 show Sen. Benigno “Noynoy" Aquino III still leading the presidential race with 68,281 votes, followed by Bro. Eddie Villanueva with 17,702 votes, and Sen. Villar with 14,974 votes. Trailing them are Gilberto Teodoro (11,505), Joseph Estrada (6,653), Richard Gordon (5,496), John Carlos delos Reyes and Sen. Jamby Madrigal (196), Nicanor Perlas (178) and Vetellano Acosta (128). For vice president, Sen. Manuel Roxas likewise leads with 67,395 votes, followed by Sen. Loren Legarda with 17,136 votes and Jejomar Binay with 16,395 votes. Following them are Perfecto Yasay (12,011), Bayani Fernando (7,933), Edu Manzano (2,462), Jay Sonza (645) and Dominador Chipeco Jr. (183). Meanwhile, the top 12 senators are: Franklin Drilon (72,319); Miriam Defensor-Santiago (70,404); Ramon 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 Osmena III (43,576); and Sonia Roco (37,801). DFA-OAVS vice chairperson Nestor N. Padalhin personally delivered the COCs and ERs to the COMELEC’s National Board of Canvassers (NBOC) for President and Vice President. The month-long OAV ended on May 10. Except for Hong Kong and Singapore which used the automated election system, all other Philippine diplomatic posts employed either personal or postal voting. - RJAB Jr., GMANews.TV