Bong Revilla enters 11th spot, Villar still tops Senate race

Comelec resumes canvassing of votes. (Photo by CHRISTIA RAMOS / INQUIRER.net)

MANILA, Philippines — Former Sen. Ramon “Bong” Revilla Jr. grabbed the 11th spot while re-electionist Sen. Cynthia Villar remained the top contender of the senatorial race based on the Commission on Elections’ (Comelec) latest partial and official on Saturday.

According to Comelec data, Revilla secured the 11th spot with 13,873,309 votes, while re-electionist Sen. Nancy Binay dropped from 11th spot to 12th spot with 13,784,692 votes.

Villar held the lead with 24,199,174 votes, followed by her fellow re-electionist Sen. Grace Poe, who received 21,183,332 votes.

The breakdown of rankings of the top 12 senatorial candidates based on Comelec’s partial and official tally are as follows:

1. Cynthia Villar: 24, 199,174
2. Grace Poe: 21,183,332
3. Bong Go: 19,568,909
4. Pia Cayetano: 18,999,378
5. Ronald dela Rosa: 18,045,456
6. Sonny Angara: 17,442,174
7. Lito Lapid: 16,252,252
8. Imee Marcos: 15,079,596
9. Francis Tolentino: 14,741,637
10. Koko Pimentel: 13,948,863
11. Bong Revilla: 13,873,309
12. Nancy Binay: 13,784,692

Meanwhile, re-electionist Sen. JV Ejercito was at 13th spot with 13,677,424 votes.

Re-electionist Sen. Bam Aquino of Otso Diretso, who had been getting in and out of the Magic 12, dropped from 13th to 14th spot with 13,675,820 votes.

Eight of the senatorial bets in the Magic 12 were backed either by the Partido Demokratiko Pilipino–Lakas ng Bayan (PDP-Laban), the party of President Rodrigo Duterte or the Hugpong ng Pagbabago, the regional party established by Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte Carpio, the President’s daughter.

These candidates are Villar, Go, Cayetano, Dela Rosa, Marcos, Tolentino, Pimentel and Revilla.

The Comelec, sitting as the National Board of Canvassers (NBOC), has finished counting 158 out of 167 COCs from the May 13 midterm elections.

The canvassing of votes resumed on Saturday, starting at 2 p.m. and ending at 8 p.m.

The NBOC began the canvassing of votes for the 2019 May midterm polls on Monday at 4:30 p.m.

(Editor: Alexander T. Magno)