MANILA, Philippines—Commission on Elections (Comelec) Chair Jose Melo interpreted the presidential candidates conceding defeat one after the other Tuesday as vindication of the Comelec. Melo praised Sen. Manuel Villar for conceding early and said his action proved the credibility of the automated elections.

Melo pointed out no candidates from top national posts had questioned the election tallies. “It speaks of the credibility on the part of the count and the Comelec,” he said.

The automated elections system “was not corrupted, was not invaded,” he said.

In his home province of Tarlac, Sen. Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III barely showed any emotion despite being on the verge of becoming the most powerful man in the Philippines as he refused to comment on the decision of most of his rivals to accept their defeat only a day after Election Day.

Aquino said the “awe-inspiring” voter turnout would spur him to fulfill his promise of making a “dramatic change from the status quo.”

Villar of the Nacionalista Party (NP) was the first to admit defeat. His gesture was followed by a barrage of concessions from Gilbert “Gibo” Teodoro of Lakas-Kampi-CMD, Sen. Richard Gordon of Bagumbayan, evangelist Bro. Eddie Villanueva of Bangon Pilipinas, independent candidate Sen. Jamby Madrigal, and Ang Kapatiran’s John Carlos “JC” de los Reyes.

But former President Joseph Estrada of Pwersa ng Masang Pilipino continued to hold out.

While independent Nicanor Perlas said he did not expect to win, he was not yet throwing in the towel.

MANILA, Philippines - The Commission on Elections (Comelec) recommended yesterday the declaration of a failure of elections in some areas in Mindanao and two towns in the Visayas due to hostilities and the absence of the Board of Election Inspectors (BEIs).

Speaking to reporters, Comelec spokesman James Jimenez said hostilities in the towns of Albarka and Sumisip in Basilan have led to the suspension of voting.

“Open hostilities between government and rebel troops in Albarka have stopped voting while harassment of polling precincts has prevailed in precincts of Sumisip,” he said.

The BEIs failed to arrive in the towns of Masiu, Lumba Bayabao, Tubaran, Lumba Kaunayuan, Marogong, Baying and Sultan Dumalundong in Lanao del Sur, he added.

Jimenez said the poll body has also recommended the declaration of a failure of elections in Pagsanjan, Samar and Guimbal, Iloilo after the ballots have been switched. 

“It was caught early so failure of elections will be declared in those areas,” he said.

“Why will there be failure there? Because there will be no ballots that the people can use.”

Official ballots are precinct-specific, making it impossible for voters to use ballots of another precinct, he added.

Jimenez said the Comelec will set the special elections in the next few days.

“Normally, we would wait until the reasons for failure of elections have been resolved before we schedule the special elections,” he said.

“That can range anywhere from two days to 30 days. That is the range of time we are looking at.”

Under the Omnibus Election Code, special elections should be held not later than 30 days after the suspension.

Jimenez said violence in this year’s polls has worsened, compared to previous elections.

“The quality of violence has gotten worse in a sense that we are seeing open hostilities already in some places.”

Jimenez said these might be attributed to the introduction of the automated system.

“From the point of view of the Comelec, we would like to think that they are afraid and think that this is their only option (to cheat),” he said.

“But again, that might not be a fair assessment.”

Palace: Polls on schedule

Malacañang said yesterday the elections were held on schedule and encountered no major problems.

Deputy presidential spokesman Gary Olivar noted that yesterday’s elections were generally successful as the Palace expected.

“This whole thing has turned out to be a lot more successful than all of the prophets of gloom and doom were making it out to be,” he said.

Olivar was among the various Malacañang officials who have been assuring the public that elections would take place.

“In the last few days, we’ve often been asked about our fearless forecast for the elections. As to the outcome of the first-ever automated elections in our country, we are just as optimistic,” he said.

“So far this morning, the number of machine-related complaints is well below manageable level. What we have are just the usual complaints about vote-buying and electoral violence in some places.

“And of course, the heat of the day is not helping the mood of our people who have to put up with the long lines that seem to be unavoidable in every election.”

Olivar said that he sees no reason for any delay in the Comelec’s next steps, including the electronic transmission of votes and the canvassing up to the national level.

“The Comelec chairman expects to see final results as early as tomorrow,” he said.

“The random manual audits to be done starting tonight are only intended to statistically validate those results, and will not serve to delay their announcement.”

Olivar said the Comelec expects a very high turnout of 85 percent or around 42 million voters.

“The size of this turnout, combined with the first-time experience of automation, makes today’s election a real challenge indeed, whether in technical or political terms,” he said.

“The success of today’s election will certainly be a feather in the cap of the Comelec, which has not had a smooth relationship with our voters.

“It will also mark the fulfillment of one of the two remaining event-based commitments of the President under her Beat The Odds agenda.”

Olivar said President Arroyo wanted to balance the budget but was overtaken by the global recession last year, and that it would have to be taken up by her successor.

“We thank all Filipinos, the PNP, AFP, DepEd and most especially and above all, God for blessing us with peaceful elections,” he said.