Recto claims huge margin in final CoC

Senator-elect Ralph Recto said yesterday that he won in Lanao del Sur by 15,000 votes over re-electionist Sen. Gregorio Honasan.

Recto is in 12th place, about 22,800 votes ahead of Honasan, with the certificates of canvass from Lanao del Sur the only ones not canvassed. If Recto is correct, then he is certain to keep his standing despite the challenges of Honasan.

The 13th placer in the senatorial election will serve for only three years, the unserved term of former Sen. Teofisto Guingona Jr. who was appointed to the vice presidency.

The Commission on Elections will officially open the Lanao del Sur certificates of canvass tomorrow.

Recto said that his campaigners have already obtained advance copies of the election returns in the municipal level in the crucial province.

"I won in 25 of the 29 towns of Lanao del Sur. I won by 15,000 (votes over Honasan)," he added.

The opposition Puwersa ng Masa, however, is still confident of relegating Recto to the 13th place.

Former Immigration Commissioner Rufus Rodriguez, PnM counsel, has petitioned the Comelec to deduct about 114,000 from the total votes of Recto in Maguindanao and Lanao del Norte. The poll body is expected to resolve the petition tomorrow, before the canvassing of the Lanao del Sur certificates.

Earlier, the Comelec had deducted 93,000 of allegedly padded votes for Recto.

Recto, however, said that the high number of votes garnered by administration candidates in Maguindanao and Lanao provinces should be expected.

He said that it has long been recognized that there are "command votes" in these provinces, and that the leaders are known to be pro-administration. – Efren Danao