Hontiveros Only Opposition Bet In ‘Magic 12’; Chel Diokno Accepts Defeat; Comelec Looking To Proclaim Senate Winners This Week

Reelectionist Sen. Risa Hontiveros appears to be the only senator from the opposition who can make it to the Magic 12.

As of 3 p.m. on Tuesday, May 10, Hontiveros was in 11th place with 15,216,537 votes based on the partial and unofficial tally of the Parish Pastoral Council for Responsible Voting. As of 11:32 p.m. on Tuesday, Hontiveros has obtained 15, 252, 077 votes as per the Commission on Elections’ transparency server.

Hontiveros authored measures promoting women, children and workers’ rights during her first six years in the Senate.

Other opposition senators in the 18th Congress were Senate Minority Leader Frank Drilon and Senators Leila de Lima and Francis Pangilinan, whose terms are set to end in June.

Drilon opted not to seek any elective post, while Pangilinan ran but lost in the vice presidential race.

Based on the same count, De Lima ranked 23rd in the senatorial race.

In the partial unofficial result of the elections, actor Robin Padilla, reelectionist senator and Antique Rep. Loren Legarda and broadcast journalist Raffy Tulfo are leading the 2022 senatorial race.

Prof. Aries Arugay of the UP Political Science Department said the Senate supermajority would be led by Sen. Imee Marcos, elder sister of leading presidential candidate Ferdinand Marcos Jr.

Arugay said there are three possible members of the opposition including Hontiveros, an ally of Vice President Leni Robredo, and Sen. Aquilino Pimentel III.

Meanwhile, human rights lawyer and senatorial bet Chel Diokno thanked his supporters and appealed to them to respect the will of the people.

Diokno urged Filipinos to remain vigilant and continue to help those in need.

“We will continue to monitor until all votes are counted and irregularities are explained. But for now, the result of the Quick Count is clear. In a democracy, the people’s decision deserves to be accepted,” Diokno said in Filipino.

“Let us continue to help those in need, and let us remain vigilant for our future… Our journey to a just, humane and prosperous nation continues,” he added.

Based on the partial and unofficial election results, Diokno ranked 19th with 9,842,595 votes. He ran under the slate of presidential candidate Vice President Leni Robredo and Pangilinan.

In a related development, former presidential legal counsel Salvador Panelo and broadcaster Rey Langit also conceded defeat in the senatorial race.They both ran under a faction of the PDP-Laban chaired by President Duterte.

Both are out of the Magic 12 based on the partial and unofficial tally of the election results.

Proclamation

The Comelec is looking to proclaim the winners in the senatorial race within the week.

“Kakayanin natin this week kung puwede (We’ll try to do it this week),” Comelec Commissioner Marlon Casquejo said.

He said the poll body proclaims the winning senators and party-list groups based on the transmissions to the National Board of Canvassers (NBOC).

“The proclamation of senators and party-list is transmitted from the Provincial Board of Canvassers or City Board of Canvassers to the NBOC. If they submit then we can proclaim senators and party-list,” he said. – With Emmanuel Tupas