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Nograles allays Noynoy's fear of ‘power vacuum’


The Philippines will have a new president by June 30, the day President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo steps down from office, House Speaker Prospero Nograles assured on Saturday. Nograles gave the assurance after Sen. Benigno “Noynoy" Aquino III chided him for his supposed plan to delay the proclamation of new president and vice-president until June 30, which Aquino, the imminent winner in the presidential race, said could create a “power vacuum" that could lead to public anxiety. Nograles, in a statement, said Aquino has been “misinformed" and clarified that he was only citing the constitutional provision that states that June 30 is the “ultimate deadline" for proclaiming the country’s top two leaders. “I would be the last person who would even try to imagine a vacuum of power in government," he said. He said there would be no delays in the proclamation “so long as all the canvass votes and documents needed for an authentic and duly-executed COC [certificate of canvass] are present." The Congress is set to convene on Tuesday as the national board of canvassers (NBOC) that will officially tally COCs for president and vice-president. All systems go “It’s all systems go for the canvassing. We assure the Filipino people and the international community that we are not going to sacrifice accuracy or the integrity of the count for speed," Nograles said. Nograles, who ran but lost in Davao City’s mayoral race, said the ongoing investigation by the House of Representatives on supposed irregularities during the May 10 automated elections would not derail the proclamation. House Secretary-General Marilyn Barua-Yap, meanwhile, said that the joint congressional canvassing procedure on Tuesday would be “transparent." “We will ensure transparency all throughout the canvassing process. The people are entitled to be fully informed of the entire electoral processes. This is what democracy is all about," Yap said in the same statement. Live coverage Yap added that her team has been closely coordinating with the Commission on Elections (Comelec), poll machine supplier Smartmatic-Asia, and even the Philippine National Police to “ensure the integrity of the national canvass." Canvassing equipment, such as projectors and computers, have already been set up in the House of Representatives’ plenary hall, she added. Yap also assured a “live and comprehensive coverage of the entire canvassing process until the proclamation." Before convening on Tuesday, the House and Senate will hold separate caucuses on Monday to approve canvassing rules and adopt a joint resolution convening Congress as the NBOC. - KBK, GMANews.TV

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