AMA Quick Count: 8 GO, 2 TU, 2 indies in ‘Magic 12’

Francis “Chiz" Escudero, outgoing Minority Leader of the House of Representatives, is the surprise leader in the Senate race based on early results of an AMA partial, unofficial count, as he pulled ahead of fellow Genuine Opposition (GO) candidate Loren Legarda, who had consistently topped poll surveys in recent months. Eight GO bets, two from President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo's Team Unity ticket, and two independents made it to the Top 12. The AMA quick-count was as of May 15, 4:55 a.m. About 10,000 students are volunteers of AMA, one of several partners of GMA-7’s Eleksyon 2007. The count covered polling places in 83 cities where AMA has presence, aims to gather results for up to 20 percent of all votes cast. Escudero led all Senate bets with 821,150 votes based on a tally by the AMA Quick-Count Center as of Tuesday early morning reported on GMA-7’s Eleksyon 2007 coverage. Legarda was a close second with 760,880 votes. In its last preelection survey released on May 10, the Social Weather Stations ranked Legarda well ahead on top, getting the nod of 59 percent of its survey respondents, while Escudero was third with 44 percent. Senate President Manuel Villar was second with 47 percent. Last week, Legarda was in a victory mood, dancing with media during the launch on Friday of her “victory jingle" and raising both index fingers to mirror her slogan “number one in the Senate". Escudero, 37, is outgoing Representative of the 1st district of Sorsogon. Legarda, 47, placed second in the vice-presidential elections in 2004 as running-mate of the late actor Fernando Poe Jr although protested her loss to fellow broadcast journalist Noli De Castro. She also topped the Senate race in 1998. Reelectionist Senator Panfilo “Ping" Lacson was third in the Senate race quick-count with 710,053 votes. Lacson placed third in the 2004 presidential elections and was Philippine National Police chief under former President Joseph Estrada. Twelve of 24 Senate seats are up for grabs. Senators, who are voted at large, serve six-year terms. Placing fourth to twelfth in the early quick-count were: Tarlac Representative Benigno Simeon “Noynoy" Aquino III (GO), 703,840; Senate President and reelectionist Manuel Villar Jr (GO), 673,913; Francis Pangilinan (Ind.), 664,184 ; Allan Peter Cayetano (GO), 580,557; Joker Arroyo (TU), 550,092; Edgardo Angara, 516,101; Gregorio Honasan (Ind.), Antonio Trillanes IV (GO), 509,118; and Aquilino “Koko" Pimentel (GO), 494,445. Those just outside the top 12, at 13th to 16th, were: Ralph Recto (TU), 450,386; Juan Miguel “Migz" Zubiri (TU), 449,261; Sonia Roco (GO) 422,491 , and Michael Defensor (TU), 403,289. The Commission on Elections accredited 37 senatorial candidates. -GMANews.TV All senatorial candidates: 1. Escudero, Francis Joseph 821,150 2. Legarda, Loren 760,880 3. Lacson, Panfilo 710,053 4. Aquino, Benigno Simeon III 703,840 5. Villar, Manuel Jr 673,913 6. Pangilinan, Francis 664,184 7. Cayetano, Allan Peter 580,557 8. Arroyo, Joker 550,092 9. Angara, Edgardo 516,101 10. Honasan, Gregorio 513,312 11. Trillanes, Antonio IV 509,118 12. Pimentel, Aquilino III 494,445 13. Recto, Ralph 450,386 14. Zubiri, Juan Miguel 449,261 15. Roco, Sonia 422,491 16. Defensor, Michael 403,289 17. Pichay, Prospero Jr 336,160 18. Osmeña, John Henry 314,164 19. Sotto, Vicente III 304,866 20. Coseteng, Anna Dominique 268,029 21. Montano, Cesar 240,461 22. Magsaysay, Vicente 217,014 23. Oreta, Teresa 149,119 24. Singson, Luis 147,620 25. Gomez, Richard 143,006 26. Kiram III, Jamalul 91,725 27. Paredes, Zosimo Jesus II 68,085 28. Bautista Martin 58,015 29. Sison, Adrian 47,554 30. Chavez, Melchor 31,407 31. Cayetano, Joselito 30,308 32. Lozano, Oliver 29,974 33. Orpilla, Eduardo 23,029 34. Enciso, Ruben 22,276 35. Wood, Victor 21,719 36. Estrella, Antonio 19,480 37. Cantal, Felix 14,683