Abby Binay keeps lead in Makati mayoralty race

Reelectionist Makati Mayor Abigail Binay gets a kiss from husband Luis Campos shortly after casting their votes on Monday, May 13, 2019. (Photo from Binay’s Facebook account)

Updated @ 1:01 a.m., May 14, 2019

MANILA, Philippines — After receiving 98.2 percent of the votes cast in the city, Abby Binay appeared headed to win the mayoralty race late Monday evening.

According statistical computations by the Makati Board of Canvassers (BOC), Binay would retain her lead even if the remaining untransmitted results were to be counted.

The board said it would now wait for the Commission on Elections (Comelec) to approve the lowering of the threshold level in proclaiming a winner, which is 100 percent.

But despite the request, the Board said that it would try to complete the transmission of results while waiting for the Comelec response.

If the Comelec should approve the request before the transmission could be completed, then Binay would be officially proclaimed as city mayor and her running mate, Monique Lagdameo, would also be declared as the vice mayor.

The results presented by the board at 10:00 p.m. showed Binay receiving 175, 385 votes, a 79,086 lead over her closest rival, her brother Junjun, who received 96,299 votes.

Other mayoralty candidates remained behind the siblings with Ricky Yabut receiving 22,987 votes, Rene Bondal with 3,475, Wilfredo Talag with 1,485, and Love Alanzalon with 1,066.

Binay will be proclaimed at the Makati Coliseum. It will be her second term as city mayor.

(Editor: Alexander T. Magno)