Reelectionist Villar leads early unofficial tally for midterm polls

MANILA - Reelectionist Sen. Cynthia Villar took an early lead in the Senate race in the May 13 midterm polls, based on partial and unofficial results.

Candidates from administration party PDP-Laban and regional party Hugpong ng Pagbabago (HNP) had 11 bets in the top 12, while the opposition Otso Diretso had none, based on 0.4 percent of election returns of clustered precincts as of 6:15 p.m.

The businesswoman-turned-politician has 93,660 votes as of 6:15 p.m., with transmission of elections returns at 0.4 percent.

In second place is reelectionist Sen. Grace Poe, followed by former Special Assistant to the President Christopher "Bong" Go.

Other candidates who made it to the "Magic 12" are Taguig Rep. Pia Cayetano, former national police chief Ronald "Bato" dela Rosa, reelectionist Sen. Sonny Angara, Ilocos Norte Gov. Imee Marcos, actor Lito Lapid, former presidential political adviser Francis Tolentino, reelectionist Nancy Binay, former senator Bong Revilla, and reelectionist JV Ejercito.

Hugpong fielded 13 candidates while PDP-Laban fielded 5. Opposition slate Otso Diretso had 8 candidates in the Senate race.

Click here for ABS-CBN's election results: https://halalanresults.abs-cbn.com/

source: news.abs-cbn.com

Duterte: Meeting with PDP-Laban to formalize 2016 bid

Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte said a meeting with his political party, the Partido Demokratikong Pilipino-Laban (PDP-Laban), will formalize his presidential bid for 2016.

"My candidacy for the presidency is on the table. It would need the formalization, my meetings with the PDP," Duterte said.

Amid his busy schedule, Duterte said the meeting would likely take place before Thursday.

Duterte also sees no legal impediment to his possible bid to run for the country's top post. But he added that he will respect the decision of the Commission on Election (Comelec) on the matter.

"If the Comelec doesn't accept it, it's fine with me," he said.

Duterte reiterated that he is now open to running for president because he does not agree with the Senate Electoral Tribunal's decision on Senator Grace Poe's disqualification case.

"Grace Poe is a gracious lady, a good and decent person. The problem is she is not a citizen of this country," Duterte said.

"I really don't want to run but the decision of the SET putting Grace in the category of natural-born citizen is simply too much. So I follow the decision or the opinions of the three justices," he added.

The mayor said the country's top post should not be put at stake over citizenship issue.

"Nothing is said about investing foundlings with citizenship as if they are natural-born, that's difficult. You only have one president," he said.

"Give me an Ifugao, or a Cebuano, or a Maranao, anything is okay for as long as he or she is a Filipino," Duterte added.

When asked about his potential running mate, Duterte said it would likely be Senator Alan Peter Cayetano.

"How can I not consider him? He is a good person, competent, able and educated," Duterte said.

- ANC, News Now, November 23, 2015

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com