MANILA, Philippines (Updated 3:23 a.m.) — Actor Robin Padilla took an early lead in partial, unofficial election returns on the Commission on Elections' Transparency Media Server in a list dominated by politicians.
With 25,594,15 votes recorded so far, Padilla of the administration PDP-Laban party led Rep. Loren Legarda (Antique) who had 23,374,825 votes as of 5:47 a.m. Tuesday.
Filipinos on Monday voted for candidates vying for 12 vacancies at the upper house.
Broadcaster Raffy Tulfo, an early favorite in pre-election surveys, was at third place in the partial, unofficial tally with 22,589,291 votes followed by re-electionist Sen. Sherwin "Win" Gatchalian who had 19,881,687 votes as of Monday evening.
Sorsogon Gov. Francis "Chiz" Escudero, who is seeking a return to the Senate, had 19,574,868 votes as of early Tuesday morning and former Public Works Secretary Mark Villar had 18,691,370.
Re-electionists and former senators rounded off the Top 12 candidates, with Rep. Alan Peter Cayetano (Taguig) getting 18,595,322 votes, Senate Majority Leader Migz Zubiri with 18,089,102 votes, Sen. Joel Villanueva with 17,880,482 votes.
Sen. Risa Hontiveros — a member of the small Senate minority — got 14,918,162 votes so far.
Sons of former President Joseph Ejercito Estrada — former Sens. JV Ejercito and Jinggoy Estrada — are also poised for a return with 15,283,247 votes and 14,557,851 votes, respectively.