MANILA, Philippines—The Commission on Elections (Comelec) proclaimed Friday evening three more senatorial candidates amid criticisms over the early announcement because less than 50 percent of the votes have been tallied.
The Comelec en banc, sitting National Board of Canvassers, proclaimed Paolo Benigno “Bam” Aquino IV, Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III, and Antonio Trillanes IV at around 8 p.m.
Only Aquino arrived as, according to Comelec Chairman Sixto Brillantes Jr., Trillanes sent word that he was out of town and Pimentel was “ill”.
Prior to the proclamation, Pimentel called the Comelec decision “premature” and “wrong.”
The Comelec on Thursday proclaimed Grace Poe, Loren Legarda, Alan Peter Cayetano, Francis Escudero, Nancy Binay and Juan Edgardo Angara. Only Binay did not attend on the advise of her lawyers, saying she wants every vote counted.