Congress eyes proclamation of new president, VP on Wednesday –Zubiri

Senate Majority Leader Juan Miguel Zubiri said that Congress, sitting as the National Board of Canvassers, was looking to proclaim the new president and vice president on Wednesday.

At a Monday press conference, Zubiri said Congress' leaders had agreed to finish the canvassing of votes for president and vice president in two days.

“Ang aming pinag-usapan kahapon, kung kaya po ng Wednesday ng gabi [ang proclamation]... late afternoon or early evening, baka timing sa inyong live coverage sa news, we will definitely do it by Wednesday,” Zubiri told reporters.

The Senate and the House of Representatives expected to convene the National Board of Canvassers at 10 a.m. Wednesday.

Senators earlier adopted Senate Concurrent Resolution No. 18, which authorizes both houses of Congress to convene the NBOC and conduct a joint session starting Tuesday at 10 a.m. at the session hall of the House of Representatives in Quezon City.

Presumptive President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. and presumptive Vice President Sara Duterte were already informed about the possible proclamation on Wednesday, Zubiri added.

“I think they were already informed by the Speaker of the House, Speaker Lord (Allan Velasco) and I think, yesterday, pinuntahan din ni Majority Leader FLoor Leader Martin Romualdez si presumptive President Bongbong Marcos to make themselves available on Wednesday,” Zubiri said.

According to Zubiri, they expected a swift canvassing of votes, considering the huge gap between the first-placers and the second-placers.

“Ang pinag-usapan namin kahapon lalo na sa ganitong klaseng outcome na malaki ang agwat at talagang convincing ang panalo ay 'di masyadong maraming objections lalo na kapag identical po ang binubuksang [Certificates of Canvass] coming from the different provinces at dineliver po dito sa Senado at electronically-transferred COCs sa House of Representatives,” Zubiri, who will be the co-chairperson for the Joint Canvassing Committee, said.

“We will compare at kung identical naman po by face value ang dalawang dokumento ay pwede na po i-proceed to canvass itong COC at mabibilang na po 'yan sa presidente at bise presidente. We don't really see too many problems that may arise” he added.

According to Zubiri, he will sit as the co-chairperson of the Joint Canvassing Committee as Senate President Vicente Sotto III ran for vice president in Elekyon 2022.

Apart from Zubiri, the Senate contingents for the Joint Canvassing Committee are Senate President Pro Tempore Ralph Recto, Senate Minority Leader Franklin Drilon, Senators Nancy Binay, Pia Cayetano, Grace Poe, and Imee Marcos– the sister of Bongbong Marcos.

Their alternates are Senators Lito Lapid, Risa Hontiveros, Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III, and Ronald dela Rosa.

Based on the partial, official tally of the Commission on Elections, Marcos Jr. led the Eleksyon 2022 presidential race with 31,104,175 votes followed by Vice President Leni Robredo with 14,822,051 votes.

Meanwhile, the vice-presidential race was topped by Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte, the daughter of outgoing President Rodrigo Duterte, with 31,561,948 votes, followed by Senator Francis Pangilinan with 9,232,883 votes. — DVM, GMA News