Roxas leads over Binay by 137,000 votes from 88 COCs

MAR – 11,890,802 vs  BINAY — 11.753,398

Liberal Party vice-presidential candidate Senator Mar Roxas is leading by 137,404 votes over Partido ng Masang Pilipino’s Makati Mayor Jejomar Binay in the latest count of votes cast in the May 10 elections based on official  certificates of canvass (CoCs) representing 81% of provinces and chartered cities except abroad.

LP General Campaign Manager Florencio “Butch” Abad said Roxas received 11,890,802 votes while Binay got 11,753,398 votes from the 88 COCs.

Abad said Roxas’ 137,000-vote lead over Binay confirms the election for vice-president remains very tight and no one can claim victory in the vice-presidential race yet.

He reminded Roxas’ rivals, particularly Makati Mayor Jejomar Binay, the only count that would matter is the one that would be done by the National Board of Canvassers, which is composed of senators and congressmen and would convene on May 24.

“We should await the vote count that will be done by the NBOC,” Abad told a press conference at the LP headquarters in Cubao, Quezon City early this afternoon.

Abad stressed election results released by the LP are legitimate and accurate as it has the authority to obtain official copies of election returns (ERs) and CoCs, apart from having access to the main server of the Commission on Elections (Comelec), because of its status as the dominant minority party.

“Our figures are based from official documents because we are the dominant minority party. What about them, are their figures from official sources? They’re based on the tallies of the Comelec, the PPCRV and the media. But all these are not yet official,” Abad said.

He pointed out figures from the Comelec are partial and unofficial since it is only Congress, convened jointly as the National Board of Canvassers, which is authorized to conduct the formal count for the presidential and vice presidential race.

Abad insisted the Binay camp has no right to claim victory of the vice presidential polls this early, especially since the official canvassing would only begin on Monday (May 24).

“We have repeatedly urged all parties concerned to wait for the process to be completed. All this braggadocio about already winning the elections is premature. You cannot claim victory in any election based on unofficial counts,” he stressed.