Philippine Comelec stops issuing partial election results

Philippine commission on Elections (Comelec) has stopped issuing the tabulated precinct results, Comelec Chairman Jose Melo said Tuesday.

Jose Melo said Tuesday's briefing that the poll body has to stop issuing partial results of Monday's elections as it's not the poll body's task to proclaim the winning candidates.

"The (Filipino) people might say we are proclaiming the winning candidates if we continue issuing partial results," he said.

It's the Congress that canvasses the votes for President and Vice President and officially proclaim the winning candidates for the country's two highest elective posts. The Congress is yet to start its canvassing.

The Comelec canvasses the votes cast for senators. The poll body formally opened its canvassing session Tuesday. Melo said the Comelec will proclaim the winning 12 senatorial candidates either Thursday or Friday.

Comelec issued Tuesday morning its third and last tally. Liberal Party standard bearer Benigno "Noynoy" Aquino III and Pwersa ng Masang Pilipino's Jejomar Binay maintained their leads in the presidential and vice presidential races, respectively.

Source:Xinhua