NBOC starts canvassing of last COC

Lawmakers sitting as the National Board of Canvassers on Tuesday started opening the certificate of canvass of Lanao del Sur, the last province to be included in the official tally one day before the proclamation of the Philippines’ next president and vice president.

Canvassing of the province’s votes was earlier deferred after poll results were not electronically transmitted. Eight more municipalities in the area have yet to conduct special elections.

Some 12,489 voters are set to cast their votes in the said special polls.

On Monday, the lawmakers asked the Commission on Elections (Comelec) why it was unable to generate the COC, the official document used in the canvassing. The poll body said it was because the consolidating and canvassing server of Lanao del Sur has yet to receive all the election results.

Comelec executive director Jose Tolentino said the poll body would have to lower the canvassing threshold that was initially pegged at 100 percent.

Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile earlier said he’s willing to face the court for asking the Comelec to lower the threshold in order the get the COC from the province. “We can’t be held hostage by a fraction of votes in Lanao. I’m willing to face the court," he said.

Results of the voting will no longer affect the 600,000 lead of vice presidential frontrunner Jejomar Binay against closest rival Senator Manuel Roxas II.

Only 361,845 of the 515,485 registered voters in the province cast their vote in the special elections held last Thursday.

Source: GmaNews