Dr. Jose Rizal wins in Comelec’s mock presidential polls

The Philippines will have national hero Dr. Jose Rizal as its next president, and known rock band Bamboo as the top-ranked party-list group in Congress—if the results of Saturday’s mock polls were to take effect. Rizal emerged as the top presidential pick in the mock elections, besting closest rival Emilio Aguinaldo, the Commission on Elections (Comelec) announced about two hours after the mock polls closed on Saturday morning. Comelec’s mock polls used names of departed heroes and politicians for the positions of president, vice president and senators. Rizal, who got a total of 118 votes from nine areas from all over the country that participated in the mock polls, was declared president-elect by the Congress Board of Canvassers (CBOC) at past 12 noon Saturday. Filipino propagandist Marcelo H. del Pilar was proclaimed winner in the vice-presidential race, garnering a total of 76 votes. Three Aquinos meanwhile dominated the senatorial race in Comelec’s mock polls. Benigno “Ninoy" Aquino Jr., former President Corazon Aquino, and Benigno Q. Aquino (Ninoy’s father) obtained the top three highest votes in the mock senatorial elections, according to the Comelec. Others who made it to the top 12 were: Epifanio C. de los Santos, Robert Z. Barbers, Pio Del Pilar, Julian C. Felipe, Francisco S. Dagohoy, Regidor R. Dela Rosa, Macario S. De Leon, Mariano C. Alvarez and Felipe E. Agoncillo. For the mock party-list elections, which used names of Filipino musical groups, local rock band Bamboo got the highest number of votes among the 17 mock party-lists that won seats in Congress. The other winning party-list groups were: Manomano, Apo Hiking Society, 14K, Maria Cafra, MYMP, Natural Born, Aegis, Mi Ultimo Dios, Bukas Palad, El Filibusterismo, Pinay, Mocha Girls, Men Oppose, Parokya ni Edgar, Mastaplann, and Banyuhay. Nine polling precincts from Metro Manila, Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao participated in the mock election, which Comelec said was a “success." (See: Saturday's mock polls very orderly, Comelec chair says)—Andreo C. Calonzo/JV, GMANews.TV