Comelec proclaims 9 winning senators

The Commission on Elections (Comelec) on Saturday afternoon proclaimed 9 winning senators, mostly old-timers at the Senate.

The 9 senators-elect are:

Ramon "Bong" Revilla - 18,218,514
Jinggoy Estrada - 17,722,162
Miriam Defensor Santiago - 16,066,001
Franklin Drion - 14,770,612
Juan Ponce Enrile - 14,695,263
Pia Cayetano - 12,821,946
Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. - 12,372,118
Ralph Recto - 11,640,679
Vicente "Tito" Sotto III - 11,160,077

Of the 9 proclaimed winning senators, only Marcos is a first-timer at the Senate. The remaining eight were either incumbent or former senators.

The proclamation was held around 3 p.m. at the Comelec's canvassing center at the Philippine International Convention Center in Pasay City.

Drilon and Santiago were not present during the proclamation.

“You are now our representatives. You are now our champions. Do not let us down,” Comelec Chairman Jose Melo told the winning senators during the proclamation.

Melo said the 9 senators were proclaimed because "the remaining uncanvassed certificates of canvass (COCs) will not materially affect the votes obtained by the aforementioned candidates.

Melo announced that the 10th to 12th ranking winning candidates will be proclaimed only after the Comelec recevives the remaining uncanvassed COCs.

Senatorial candidates on 10th to 13th places were Sergio Osmeña III with 10, 996,061, Lito Lapid with 10,327, Teofisto "TG" Guingona III with 9,686,352 and Risa Hontiveros-Baraquel with 8,581,125.

'Statistically improbable'

Baraquel told in an earlier interview over radio dzMM that she was still hoping that she could still catch up.

However, she said she had been advised by a statistician friend that it was already "statistically improbable" for her to make it to the "Magic 12."

"Umaasa pa rin ako pero may statistician akong kaibigan ang sabi niya statistically improbable na na makahabol pa ako (I'm still hoping, but I have a friend who is a statistician and he told me that it's already statistically improbable for me to catch up)," she said.

Baraquel said that she was ready to accept defeat as she believes that the automated elections was a success.

She said that she is still proud that she was made it on 13th place.

"Masaya ako. Hindi naman ako anak ng isang politiko. At least sa eleksyong ito ay umabot ako sa 13 (I'm happy. I'm not a politician’s child. At least, in this elections, I made it on 13th place)," she said.