The Commission on Elections (Comelec) is confident that it can declare the elected senatorial candidates by Wednesday and party-list groups by Thursday.
This comes after the poll body, sitting as the National Board of Canvassers, said that 14 certificates of canvass are left for processing, while six of those will be finished on Monday.
It has already processed 159 COCs out of 173 as of Sunday.
“Commissioner [George] Garcia had already made a pronouncement that the en banc had decided to make the proclamation for the winning senators on Wednesday, May 18, at 4 p.m.,” Comelec acting spokesman John Rex Laudiangco said in a press briefing on Monday.
“[For] party-lists, our projected date and intended date of proclamation will be on May 19 at 4 p.m.,” he added.
The poll body said that the 12 senators-elect will be proclaimed without standing or ranking due to the pending special elections in Lanao del Sur to be conducted on May 24.
It also added that not all 63 seats for party-list legislators will be proclaimed on Thursday, only those that have “garnered the guaranteed seats” will be announced.
Laudiangco explained that the Comelec “understands the excitement” of some party-lists that have already prepared their press releases. But he advised them to wait for their official announcement. — Ronald Espartinez