Bong Go, Bato Dela Rosa top Senate race in Davao City

FILE – PROCLAMATION RALLY President Duterte, the ruling PDP-Laban party national chair, and Sen. Manny Pacquiao, the party’s campaign manager, introduce the administration’s candidates in the midterm polls in May during the kickoff rally at City of San Jose del Monte, Bulacan, (from left) Sen. Sonny Angara, Sen. JV Ejercito, Rep. Zajid Mangudadatu, former Bureau of Corrections Director General Ronald dela Rosa, former presidential aide Bong Go, Sen. Koko Pimentel, Francis Tolentino, Sen. Cynthia Villar, Rep. Pia Cayetano and Ilocos Norte Gov. Imee Marcos.  —JOAN BONDOC

MANILA, Philippines — Former Special Assistant to the President Christopher “Bong” Go and former Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Police General Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa topped the Senate race in Davao City, the bailiwick of President Rodrigo Duterte.

Go and Dela Rosa, both strong allies of the President, placed first and second, respectively, based on partial, unofficial results from the Commission on Elections (Comelec) Transparency Server as of 3:50 p.m. on Tuesday.

READ: 8 bets in unofficial Magic 12 backed by PDP-Laban, HnP

Aside from the two, all candidates in the top 12 were also either endorsed by the President’s Partido Demokratiko Pilipino-Lakas ng Bayan (PDP) or his daughter Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte’s Hugpong ng Pagbabago.

Unofficial vote tally from the poll body’s transparency server showed the following ranking among senatorial candidates, based on the preference of voters in Davao City:

1. Christopher “Bong” Go – 532,724
2. Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa – 517,961
3. Pia Cayetano – 447,881
4. Cynthia Villar – 445,050
5. Francis Tolentino – 399,636
6. Sonny Angara – 384,126
7. Imee Marcos – 366,419
8. Joseph Victor “JV” Ejercito – 322,243
9. Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III – 296,947
10. Zajid “Dong” Mangudadatu – 296,849
11. Ramon “Bong” Revilla Jr. – 239,609
12. Jinggoy Estrada – 224,919

No candidate from the opposition was included in the top 12 senatorial candidates voted by residents in the city.

READ: Otso Diretso’s Gutoc, Tañada, Hilbay concede 

Initial data from the Comelec showed 635,263 out of 984,604 registered voters in Davao City cast their votes for the midterm polls, with 99.82 percent of election returns processed as of posting. cfc

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