Sun.Star: Custodio widens lead over Pacman

Sun.Star: GENERAL SANTOS CITY (Updated 2:30 p.m.) -- Filipino boxing icon Manny Pacquiao is lagging behind reelectionist Representative Darlene Antonino-Custodio in the race for a congress seat, representing the first district of South Cotabato, partial unofficial results showed Wednesday. As of 10 a.m., results tabulated by election watchdog National Movement for Free Elections and the National Secretariat for Social Action (Namfrel-Nassa) showed Custodio ahead by 25,741 votes over the knock-out artist. Custodio tallied 60,117 votes as against Pacquiao's 34,376, covering 38 percent or 893 of the total 1,461 precincts. Reelectionist Mayor Pedro Acharon, partymate of Custodio, was also leading comebacking mayor Rosalita Nunez, Pacquiao's partymate, with 62,700 and 24,165 votes, respectively. Custodio and her supporters offered a thanksgiving mass ahead of her looming victory, although she insisted it was for the peaceful conduct of the campaign. Pacquiao, in a national television interview, said he will accept the outcome of the election, despite reports that his camp has discovered several alleged spurious election returns. "In a battle, you win or you lose. I will accept defeat as long as we determine it's a clean election," Pacquiao said. He did not concede defeat as of presstime. For the second congressional district, incumbent Representative Arthur Pingoy is closely ahead over former governor Hilario de Pedro III, at 23,487 and 23,116 votes, respectively. The votes reflect partial and unofficial results in Koronadal City's 350 of 370 precincts. Results from the other localities in the second district have yet to be tabulated by the provincial Namfrel-Nassa chapter as of noontime Wednesday. Fr. Romeo Catedral, provincial Namfrel-Nassa chair, blamed the delay on the computer program used in canvassing the election returns. "The program is not user-friendly to the volunteers," he said. The Commission on Elections (Comelec) in South Cotabato convened the board of canvassers in the morning and expected to start tabulating the results Wednesday afternoon. South Cotabato Governor Daisy Avance Fuentes and Sarangani Governor Rene Miguel Dominguez, based on unofficial results, are bound for another three-year term. (Sun.Star General Santos) - Sun.Star