COMELEC should release ACTUAL VOTES CAST FIgure

Reporters have tried but failed to get the actual votes cast (AVC) figure from Comelec Commissioner George Larrazabal.

Why is it very important to get the percentage of voters who actually cast their votes during the recently concluded voting? The AVC will determine two (2) things: First, it will determine the extent of disfranchisement that the NAMFREL, PPCRV and other groups alleged and two, it needs to jibe with the transmitted figures which the Comelec have been showing to us as the votes cast for candidates in these elective positions.

Bear in mind that these PCOS machines have one function---to accurately count the votes cast for every candidate. With more than 300,000 precincts nationwide, it would be hard for a candidate to file a post-election protest especially those running for national posts because they need to get the automated precinct tally. Getting all these copies would be tedious and costly for a candidate.

The Comelec says they expect the voter turnout to be between 80 to 85%. Now, that is the voter turnout. What we need to get is the AVC or Actual Votes Cast (AVC) because that will give us a glimpse of how huge the disfranchisement was. If the disfranchisement turned out to be bigger than what was initially thought, then, that could be used by certain candidates to question the results of the polls.

Traditionally, twenty or so percent of registered voters fail to cast their votes. Analysts say this could be bigger in this elections due to the automated elections. If the AVC reaches 75-76%, that is a normal figure. But if the disfranchisement resulted to 50 or 60%, with an additional 20% not being able to vote, certain sectors might use it to justify a protest saying that the 50 or 60% or so is not representative of the population.

BY the way, I should congratulate the AFP and the PNP, as well as other groups for ensuring a relatively peaceful elections. Despite 9 people killed and about 14 others injured, compared with past elections, this is relatively a normal figure.

As of 9:21 pm, with about 33% of the transmission of results in, the Comelec says that:

FOR PRESIDENT--AQUINO, NOYNOY leading former president JOseph Estrada and a far third is Manny Villar.

PARTIAL AND UNOFFICIAL RESULTS

PRESIDENT

1. AQUINO---5.8 MILLION
2. ESTRADA--3MILLION
3. VILLAR---1.9M
4. TEODORO-1.4M

VICE-PRESIDENT

1. BINAY---4.6M
2. ROXAS--4.5M
3. LEGARDA--1.7M

As I said, it is to the best interest of the country that we elect a majority president and by the looks of it, it seems that we really elected a MAJORITY PRESIDENT in the person of Senator Benigno Aquino III.

Yet, again, the fight is not yet over. We still have about 70% of the votes still un=counted.