Celebrating party-list groups told: Wait for Comelec to make it official

MANILA, Philippines — The Commission on Elections (Comelec) on Monday said it understands the “excitement” of some party-list groups already celebrating their win, but it also advised them to put their parties on hold and wait for the poll body to make their victory official.

Comelec acting spokesperson Rex Laudiangco said party-list groups should wait for the official action from the poll body, which sits as the National Board of Canvassers (NBOC).

“It’s their right to celebrate early but then again, please wait for the official action of the commission and this is the official canvass of the NBOC,” Laudiangco said in a press briefing.

“Kaunti na lang po, matatapos na. Siguro, ‘yung celebrations can be put on hold and let’s make it official para complete ‘yung ating celebration,” he added.

(Just wait a little bit more, we’re about to finish. Maybe the celebrations can be put on hold and let’s make it official so that your celebration is complete.)

Nonetheless, Laudiangco believes that the early celebration from some party-list groups shows the transparency of the elections, given that the public can readily see the results albeit partial and unofficial.

“Ang importante dito (What’s important here is), it’s clearly the transparency of the elections why people are celebrating early because they can see the results,” Laudiangco said.

The Comelec, which releases the official voting results, is tasked to proclaim the winners of the senatorial and party-list elections. Laudiangco said winning senators or the so-called Magic 12 will be proclaimed on Wednesday, May 18.

In the case of party-list groups, he said some party-list groups that have guaranteed seats in Congress may be proclaimed on Thursday afternoon, May 19.

Unlike the senatorial race wherein winners are determined based on rank, the party-list elections follow a computation to identify the number of seats the winning groups will get in Congress.

There are 63 seats available for party-list groups in the House of Representatives for this election.

KGA