Press Release
May 31, 2016

SPONSORSHIP SPEECH OF SENATOR AQUILINO "KOKO" PIMENTEL III

ON THE REPORT OF THE JOINT COMMITTEE AND RESOLUTION
OF BOTH HOUSES NO. 1 APPROVING THE REPORT OF THE JOINT COMMITTEE, DECLARING THE RESULTS OF THE NATIONAL ELECTIONS HELD ON MAY 9, 2016, FOR THE OFFICES OF PRESIDENT AND VICE PRESIDENT, AND PROCLAIMING THE DULY ELECTED PRESIDENT AND VICE PRESIDENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES

Mr. Senate President and Mr. Speaker of the House, as co-Chairperson of the Joint Committee together with Congressman Neptali "Boyet" Gonzales II that served as the National Board of Canvassers, I respectfully submit for consideration by this august Chamber in Joint Public Session the Report of the Joint Committee on the Canvass of Votes for the President and Vice President; as well as the Resolution of Both Houses No. 1 approving the Report of the Joint Committee, declaring the results of the National Elections held on May 9, 2016, for the Offices of President and Vice President, and proclaiming the duly elected President and Vice President of the Republic of the Philippines.

For the efficient and expeditious canvassing of 167 Certificates of Canvass (CoCs) at record speed of three (3) days, I would like to thank the following:

My co-Chairman from the House of Representatives, Congressman Neptali M. Gonzales II and the Members and Alternates of the Senate and House Panels, namely:

On the part of the Senate:

  • Sen. Juan Edgardo Angara;

  • Sen. Juan Ponce Enrile;

  • Sen. Teofisto Guingona III;

  • Sen. Sergio Osmeña;

  • Sen. Ralph Recto;

  • Sen. Vicente Sotto III; and

  • Senators Cynthia Villar and Joseph Victor "JV" Ejercito as alternates.

On the part of the House of Representatives:

  • Rep. Neptali Gonzales II, Chairman;

  • Rep. Elpidio Barzaga, Jr.;

  • Rep. Silvestre Bello III;

  • Rep. Fredenil Castro;

  • Rep. Romero Federico Quimbo;

  • Rep. Rufus Rodriguez;

  • Rep. Reynaldo Umali; and

  • Representatives Ronaldo Zamora, Rolando Andaya, Ibarra Gutierrez, and Oscar Rodriguez as alternates.

Senate Secretary Oscar G. Yabes and Secretary General of the House of Representatives Marilyn Barua-Yap, the staff of the Joint Secretariat, the lawyers of the candidates, and the following Commission on Elections (Comelec) officials:

1. Hon. Christian Robert S. Lim,
Commissioner Chairman of the Steering Committee and Head of the Project Monitoring Office

2. Hon. Arthur D. Lim,
Commissioner Chairman of the Office of Overseas Voting

3. Atty. Jose M. Tolentino Jr.,
Executive Director

4. Atty. Bartolome J. Sinocruz Jr.
Deputy Executive Director for Operations

5. Atty. Teofisto E. Elnas Jr.
Director for Election and Barangay Affairs Department

6. Atty. Consuelo B. Diola
Secretary of the Commission

7. Atty. Divine Blas Perez
Office of Overseas Voting

8. Atty. Dino Maglasang
Office of Overseas Voting

9. Acting Director Maria Juana S. Valeza
Office of Overseas Voting

10. Mr. Alvin C. Genota
Information Technology Officer/NBOC-CCS Operator

We also have to thank the Chairpersons from the Board of Canvassers for Laguna, Ilocos Sur, Davao del Norte, Antique, Iloilo City, Lanao del Sur, and Northern Samar, for travelling all the way from their respective provinces and cities to attend the canvassing in order to explain what occurred in their respective jurisdictions.

Also, we have to thank the distinguished members of both chambers, for their cooperation and great help, and lastly, we thank Senate President Franklin M. Drilon and House Speaker Feliciano Belmonte, Jr. for entrusting to us, the members of the Joint Committee, this important and significant task of canvassing the votes for President and Vice President.

After the approval of the Rules of the Joint Public Session of Congress for the Canvassing of the Votes for the Presidential and Vice Presidential Candidates in the May 9, 2106 Elections on May 24, 2016, and thereafter the constitution of the Joint Committee with the designation of its Chairmen, Members, and Alternates for both Senate and House panels in accordance with Rule VI, Section 9 of the Rules, your Joint Committee began its work on the very next day, May 25, 2016.

In accordance with the Rules, we proceeded to consider first the electronically transmitted Certificates of Canvass (CoC) in the order that they arrived in the Consolidation and Canvassing System (CCS). There were one hundred twenty three (123) CoCs received in the CCS. Pursuant to the Rules, the electronically transmitted CoCs were generated and printed from the CCS and these were compared with the CoCs physically delivered to the Senate. If there was no discrepancy between the votes for President and Vice-President for any candidate in the electronically transmitted CoC and in the physically delivered CoC, the electronically transmitted CoC was admitted to the canvass.

First Day (May 25, 2016)

On the first day of canvassing, the Joint Committee considered forty-eight (48) CoCs from twenty-three (23) provinces, fifteen (15) cities, one (1) district, and nine (9) countries.

The very first CoC to be considered came from Davao del Sur and when the CCS was opened, it was discovered that there were five (5) electronically transmitted CoCs. However, four (4) of the five (5) CoCs generated from the CCS were identical to one another and the votes for President and Vice President therein matched the number of votes in the physically delivered CoC. Only the first electronically transmitted CoC had figures different from the rest of the CoCs and the numbers contained therein were significantly less than the figures in the other electronically transmitted CoCs. It appeared that the figures contained in the first electronically transmitted CoC came from the pre-logic and accuracy tests (pre-LAT), which had been conducted before voting occurred on May 9, 2016. After the lawyers were given the opportunity to make observations and objections, and none of them expressed opposition to the canvass of any one of the electronically transmitted CoCs, which matched the physically delivered CoC, the second electronically transmitted CoC for Davao del Sur was admitted to the canvass.

For overseas absentee voting, two (2) countries, namely Malaysia and the Kingdom of Bahrain, had electronically transmitted CoCs from the CCS but no corresponding CoCs physically delivered to us. There was actually a special diplomatic electoral pouch delivered from the Kingdom of Bahrain but when the package was opened, it was discovered to contain only a Vote Counting Machine (VCM) and ballots in a plastic box but no CoC. Nevertheless, because of the lack of objection or opposition from the lawyers of the candidates, and seeing nothing to alarm us, the electronically transmitted CoCs for Malaysia and the Kingdom of Bahrain were admitted to the canvass.

At the end of the first day, forty-five (45) CoCs were admitted to the canvass from twenty (20) provinces, fifteen (15) cities, one (1) district and nine (9) countries. Canvassing of three (3) CoCs from Laguna, Ilocos Sur, and Davao del Norte were suspended because there were discrepancies between the multiple copies of the electronically transmitted CoCs and the physically delivered CoCs as to the number of votes for President and Vice President. The Chairpersons of the Provincial Boards of Canvassers of these provinces were summoned through the Comelec to come to the Plenary Hall of the House of Representatives the next day to explain the discrepancies. The Comelec was also directed to give an explanation as to the reasons for the delay in the physical delivery of the CoCs from Malaysia and the Kingdom of Bahrain.

Second Day (May 26, 2016)

On the second day, the Joint Committee considered seventy-three (73) CoCs from fifty-five (55) provinces, nine (9) cities, and eight (8) countries. The Joint Committee resumed consideration of the suspended CoCs from the provinces of Laguna, Ilocos Sur, and Davao del Norte. The CoCs for these provinces were included in the canvass after the explanations given by the Chairpersons of the Board of Canvassers; Atty. Gloria Ramos Petallo for Laguna, Atty. Rhodora Arrocena for Ilocos Sur, and Atty. Jennifer Ponpon-Ancla for Davao del Norte. Their explanations were accepted. For Laguna, it was the manually prepared and physically delivered CoC which was admitted to the canvass after it had been established that the electronically transmitted CoC for Laguna included the pre-LAT results for the municipality of Rizal and that the provincial CoC with the corrected results could no longer be transmitted to Congress' CCS after the CCS assigned to the province no longer functioned. For Ilocos Sur, the electronically transmitted CoC which included the correct results for the municipality of San Ildefonso signed by Atty. Arrocena, which matched the correct physically delivered CoC was canvassed. For Davao del Norte, the electronically transmitted CoC which included the correct results for the municipality of Asuncion signed by Atty. Ancla which matched the physically delivered CoC was canvassed.

There were two (2) electronically transmitted CoCs and two (2) physically delivered CoCs for the province of Bohol. The initial electronically transmitted and physically delivered CoCs included the votes of the municipality of Baclayon with the pre-LAT results. Thus, the subsequent electronically transmitted CoC with the correct results for the municipality of Baclayon, which matched the subsequently physically delivered CoC with the correct results for Baclayon was admitted to the canvass. For the province of Southern Leyte, the first one of the three (3) electronically transmitted CoCs did not match the votes in the physically delivered CoCs for President and Vice President. This was due to the fact that the initial electronic transmissions of the CoCs for these provinces included the pre-LAT results of the municipalities of Hinundayan and Silgo. Since the two (2) subsequent electronically transmitted CoCs matched the physically delivered CoC for Southern Leyte, the second electronically transmitted CoC was the one included in the canvass. For Nueva Ecija, there were three (3) electronically transmitted CoCs and two (2) physically delivered CoCs. The initial electronically transmitted CoC and physically delivered CoCs included the pre-LAT results for the municipality of Llanera. Thus, the subsequent electronically transmitted CoC for Nueva Ecija with the correct results for the municipality of Llanera, which matched the subsequent delivered CoC with correct results for Llanera, was admitted to the canvass.

At the end of the second day, sixty-nine (69) CoCs had been admitted to the canvass for the day, which came from fifty four (54) provinces, eight (8) cities, and six (6) countries. There were two (2) CoCs from the People's Republic of China, one electronically transmitted with a corresponding physically delivered CoC and a manually prepared and tabulated CoC which reflected the voting in Taiwan which was not able to have automated elections. Canvassing of four (4) CoCs from Antique, Iloilo City, Kuwait, and Canada were suspended. The canvassing of CoCs from Kuwait and Canada was suspended because only electronically transmitted CoCs were available for them since the special diplomatic pouches, which were supposed to contain the CoCs have not yet been delivered to the Senate. Canvassing of the CoC from Antique was suspended because there was a discrepancy between the electronically transmitted CoC and the physically delivered CoC as to the number of votes for President and Vice President. The canvassing of the CoC from Iloilo City was suspended because the CoC could not be located inside the ballot box that was physically delivered to the Senate. The Chairpersons of the Provincial Boards of Canvassers of Antique and Iloilo City were summoned by the Joint Committee through the Comelec to come to the Plenary Hall of the House of Representatives the next day to give their explanations. The Comelec was required by the Joint Committee to give a written explanation as to the reason/s for the delay in the delivery of the CoCs from Kuwait and Canada to the Senate.

The Chairpersons of the Provincial Board of Canvassers for Lanao del Sur and Northern Samar were also summoned by the Joint Committee, through the Comelec, in anticipation of problems that may be encountered in the canvass of these two (2) areas based on the report given by the Comelec. By the end of the second day, the Joint Committee had cumulatively canvassed a total of one hundred fourteen (114) CoCs.

Third Day (May 27, 2016)

On the third day, the Joint Committee canvassed fifty-three (53) CoCs from seven (7) provinces, one (1) city, one (1) from local absentee voting, one (1) from detainee voting, and forty-three (43) countries.

The Joint Committee resumed consideration of the suspended CoCs from the province of Antique, from Kuwait, and the City of Iloilo. For Antique, the Chairman of the Provincial Board of Canvassers, Atty. Jessie B. Suarez, explained that the figures in the physically delivered CoC were higher than the figures in the electronically transmitted CoC because the former contained the votes of two (2) clustered precincts in the municipalities of Anini-y and San Remigio which conducted special elections on May 16, 2016 and for the reason of the special elections was the shortage of official ballots for said precincts on May 9, 2016. After the explanation and there being no objection or opposition from the counsels of the candidates, the manually prepared and physically delivered CoC from Antique was admitted to the canvass. The CoC from Kuwait was canvassed after it was manifested that the special diplomatic electoral pouch from Kuwait had been delivered earlier by the representative of the Comelec and it was compared and found to match the electronically transmitted CoC from the CCS. The CoC for Iloilo City was immediately canvassed after the Chairman of the City Board of Canvassers, Atty. Joemar Alizar Betita, was able to locate the physically delivered CoC among the documents contained in the ballot box for Iloilo City and it was shown that the figures in the said CoC matched those of its counterpart electronically transmitted CoC.

For the province of Lanao del Sur, the figures contained in the electronically transmitted CoC matched the figures in the physically delivered CoC. However, there was a notation in the physically delivered CoC that the canvass for the clustered precinct in Masiu were not included in the canvass. Atty. Roberto dela Peña, Chairperson of the PBOC was summoned and he explained that 279 ballots in one precinct in Masiu were not accepted by the VCM which had broken down and as such, the canvass of the municipality of Masiu was incomplete. He further manifested that the 279 ballots as well as the VCM are now in the gymnasium of the provincial capitol of Lanao del Sur. After the explanation of Atty. Dela Pena, the electronically transmitted CoC for Lanao del Sur, which matched the physically delivered CoC was admitted to the canvass.

After all the electronically transmitted CoCs were canvassed with the exception of CoCs from Canada and Northern Samar, which were temporarily suspended pending the arrival of the pouch from Canada and the Chairperson of the PBOC of Northern Samar, the Joint Committee considered the canvass of forty three (43) physically delivered CoCs without corresponding electronically transmitted CoCs. Of these 43 CoCs, forty-two (42) were manually prepared and one (1) was electronically prepared but by force of circumstances, only physically delivered and not electronically transmitted. Two (2) manually prepared CoCs from local absentee voting and detainee voting came in two (2) ballot boxes. The remaining manually prepared CoCs came in special diplomatic electoral pouches of various shapes and sizes from different countries.

Upon opening of the manually prepared CoCs, the Joint Committee considered whether the votes in words and in figures matched and whether or not the CoCs were complete and/or had erasures or alterations. If the votes in words and in figures in any CoC matched, and it was complete and had no erasures or questionable alterations the CoC was deemed in order and admitted to the canvass.

When the special diplomatic pouch from Austria was opened, it did not contain a CoC, hence, the canvass was suspended. The representative from the Comelec's Office on Overseas Voting, Atty. Maria Juana Valeza, was summoned and requested to give an explanation about the delay in the delivery of the special diplomatic pouch for Canada and the non-inclusion of the CoC in the pouch delivered to the Senate from Austria. Atty. Valeza stated that based on information given her, the CoCs and supporting documents from Canada were only shipped from Canada on May 26, 2016 and would probably arrive in the Philippines in three (3) to five (5) days. However, she had in her possession a certified true copy of the COC from Canada, which the Comelec received through electronic mail or e-mail. Inasmuch as the votes in the electronically transmitted CoC for Canada matched the votes in the certified true copy of the CoC brought by Atty. Valeza, the CoC for Canada was admitted to the canvass. As to the CoC for Austria, Atty. Valeza also manifested that she had with her a certified true copy of the CoC from Austria, which the Comelec had received by electronic mail. During the discussion, it was established that electronic mail is an acceptable means by which the Comelec could receive CoCs and supporting documents relating to votes from overseas absentee voting under Republic Act No. 9189. After the manually prepared CoC of Austria was examined and found to be in order, it was admitted to the canvass.

Finally, the electronically transmitted CoC for Northern Samar was compared to its corresponding physically delivered CoC. Although the figures in both CoCs matched, there were handwritten numbers with plus and equal signs in the physically delivered CoC. The Joint Committee took note of a Comelec En Banc resolution, which provided that the votes of one (1) clustered precinct in the municipality of San Francisco Lope de Vega, which had held special elections on May 16, 2016 should be manually added to the votes in the physically delivered CoC. Given the circumstances, the physically delivered CoC for Northern Samar with the manually added votes for one (1) clustered precinct in the municipality of San Francisco Lope de Vega was admitted to the canvass.

The matter of the so-called undervotes which counsel of Senator Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos, Jr., candidate for Vice-President, orally manifested several times during the three (3) days of canvassing was then discussed. It was manifested by Congressman Rufus Rodriguez that a similar matter had been discussed during the canvassing for votes for President and Vice-President in 2010 but the so-called "undervotes" were then called null votes and represented undervotes, overvotes, mis-shades, and no votes recorded as non-votes. At that time, then Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile ruled that such null votes are beyond the jurisdiction of Congress as the National Board of Canvassers for President and Vice President and is properly the subject of an election protest. Thus, Congressman Rodriguez suggested that the Joint Committee follow the precedent established in 2010 and not consider anymore the manifestation about the so-called undervotes.

By the end of the third day, the Joint Committee had cumulatively canvassed a total of one hundred sixty seven (167) CoCs, which included the CoCs from eighty-one (81) provinces, twenty-four (24) cities, one (1) district, one (1) local absentee voting, one (1) detainee voting, and fifty-eight (58) countries with one country producing two (2) CoCs and that is China. Of the 167 CoCs canvassed, one hundred (120) CoCs were electronically transmitted through the CCS, forty-six (46) CoCs were manually prepared and physically delivered, and one (1) CoC was electronically tabulated and canvassed but physically delivered because it could not electronically transmitted through the CCS, and that came from Israel.

Compared to the canvassing done in 2010, which took a total of nine (9) working days, this time our Joint Committee did the work in ONLY three (3) days, the shortest period of canvassing of votes for President and Vice-President in Philippine history. Thus, we are ready to recommend to the Joint Session today, May 30, 2016, the proclamation of the winning candidates for President and Vice President.

The results of the national canvass for the positions of President and Vice President are as follows:

For President:

1. Rodrigo R. Duterte - 16,601,997;

2. Manuel A. Roxas III - 9,978,175;

3. Mary Grace Natividad S. Poe - 9,100,991;

4. Jejomar C. Binay - 5,416,140;

5. Miriam P. Defensor-Santiago - 1,455,532; and

6. Roy V. Señeres - 25,779.

For Vice President:

1. Maria Leonor G. Robredo - 14,418,817;

2. Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. - 14,155,344;

3. Alan Peter S. Cayetano - 5,903,379;

4. Francis Joseph G. Escudero - 4,931,962;

5. Antonio F. Trillanes IV - 868,501; and

6. Gregorio B. Honasan II - 788,881.

The results of the canvass show that RODRIGO "RODY" ROA DUTERTE and MARIA LEONOR "LENI" G. ROBREDO obtained the highest number of votes for President and Vice President, respectively.

In view of the foregoing, the Joint Committee recommends that Congress, as the National Board of Canvassers, approves the Report of the Joint Committee and the Resolution of Both Houses of Congress No. 1 declaring the results of the National Elections held on May 9, 2016 for the Office of President and Vice President and proclaiming RODRIGO ROA DUTERTE as the duly elected President and MARIA LEONOR G. ROBREDO as the duly elected Vice President of the Republic of the Philippines.

News Latest News Feed