PPCRV: Around 1.6M remaining votes a game-changer in VP race

Voters take their time in finding their precinct and voters numbers at President Corazon Aquino Elementary School. Photo by Tristan Tamayo/INQUIRER.net FILE PHOTO

The Parish Pastoral Council for Responsible Voting (PPCRV) on Wednesday said the remaining votes yet to be transmitted from different parts of the country and overseas are crucial, especially in the tight vice presidential race.

PPCRV spokesperson Anna Singson said they were expecting approximately 1.6 million votes if actual voter turnout will be applied.

Singson said an estimated 1.2 million local votes have yet to be transmitted considering the 81-percent turnout, while around 400,000 from overseas voting are still being awaited assuming a 40-percent turnout.

Based on the number of registered voters or assuming a 100-percent turnout, Singson said approximately 2,539,623 votes have yet to be transmitted–one million of which coming from overseas absentee voting.

As of 2:45 p.m., administration candidate Camarines Sur Rep. Leni Robredo is leading by only 231,728 votes over her closest rival Sen. Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. The son and namesake of the late dictator was ahead by as much as a million on Monday evening, until Robredo clinched the lead and eventually overtook Marcos early Tuesday.

READ: Robredo maintains 200K lead over Marcos on day 3 of unofficial tally

Marcos’ camp on Tuesday asked the PPCRV and the Commission on Elections to stop its partial and unofficial count supposedly to avoid confusion from the official one. But the PPCRV rejected the request, saying it was the right of the Filipino people to know the tally of votes.

PPCRV’s latest partial and unofficial count stands at 95.53 percent transmission rate, with 90,063 precincts counted.

READ: Comelec to Marcos camp: Show proof first to stop unofficial tally

Asked about the slow transmission on the second and third day after the national polls, Singson said it was due to failure of elections in certain areas.

“We can’t expect too many other precincts to come in because there are failure of elections in several areas, and they will hold special elections in those areas, like barangays in Lanao del Sur, Sulu, Northern Samar, Western Samar, and several other places,” Singson said, citing the Commission on Elections.

READ: Special polls to be conducted in 5 areas—Comelec

In the race to Malacañang, presumptive winner Rodrigo Duterte has 15,856,910 votes, followed by Liberal Party standard-bearer Mar Roxas 9,658,578. Roxas already conceded defeat to the tough-talking Davao mayor on Tuesday.

Senate President Franklin Drilon is still leading the senatorial race with 18,075,603 votes, followed by former Technical Education and Skills Development Authority head Joel Villanueva with 18,022,180.

PPCRV is conducting a quick count in its command center at the Pope Pius XII Catholic Center in Manila. JE