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Enrile: New president, VP proclaimed before June 15


A new president and vice president will be proclaimed on or before June 15, Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile said on Monday as Congress takes the first step in canvassing the votes for the top two positions in the land. "Realistically speaking, I’d say that the earliest we can proclaim is June 4, the latest as far as I’m concerned is June 15," Enrile told reporters in an interview. The two houses of Congress — the Senate and the House of Representatives — will meet Tuesday to approve the rules to be used in the canvassing of the first nationwide automated elections in the country. He said the actual canvassing could start on Wednesday or after they hear first the explanation of election officials regarding the irregularities that allegedly marred the May 10 polls. He said they would still tackle the poll fraud issue despite the fact that it was not part of their mandate. "That [poll fraud issue] will be a problem that will be taken up in the Presidential Electoral Tribunal, but we will hear them, to what extent those dayaan (cheating) affected the result of the elections," he said. Enrile said they would spend the first two days hearing the explanation of the Commission on Elections (Comelec) and technology provider Smartmatic regarding poll fraud allegations.


Nine-member panels Earlier in the day, the two chambers formed their respective nine-member panel that would convene as the National Board of Canvassers. The House panel is composed of House Speaker Prospero Nograles, Majority Leader Arthur Defensor, Minority Leader Ronaldo Zamora, Senior Deputy Majority Leader Neptali Gonzales II, Senior Deputy Minority Leader Roilo Golez, Reps. Crispin Remulla (Cavite), Didagen Dilangalen (Shariff Kabunsuan with Cotabato City), and Matias Defensor (Quezon City), and Michael John Duavit (Rizal). For the Senate it will be Enrile, Majority Leader Juan Miguel Zubiri, Minority Leader Aquilino Pimentel Jr., and Senators Rodolfo Biazon, Alan Peter Cayetano, Gregorio Honasan II, Edgardo Angara, Ramon “Bong" Revilla Jr., and Joker Arroyo. Alternate members could sit in respective panels of the Senate and House, if ever regular members fail to participate in the canvassing. Senate ProTempore Jinggoy Estrada has formally manifested his inhibition from the canvassing, saying his father, former President Joseph Estrada, ran for president and ranks second based on unofficial results. "So as not to have a cloud of doubt to our electorate that this Representation will exert any pressure to the nine members of Senate to the Joint Committee to the advantage of my father and to put premium to our long respected tradition of delicadeza, I respectfully inhibit from the canvass proceedings," he said.

Rules Enrile said he asked the senators to study House Resolution 34, which contains the chamber's draft rules on the canvassing of votes for president and vice president, "so that when we meet in joint session, we will adopt the rules subject to refinements as the members of the Senate might wish to introduce." "The purpose of discussion is to see to it that we adopt transparency, credibility, fairness and accuracy in this canvass and at the same time be sure that we can accomplish our work so that the country will have a president and vice president to succeed the present presidency and vice presidency on June 30 at noon," he said. In a separate interview, Senator Francis Pangilinan expressed doubt whether they would be able to adopt the rules in just one day. "I doubt it. I'd like it approved right away pero mahirap ma-aprove ng isang araw yung debate sa rules (but it’s hard to debate on the rules in just one day)," he said. He also doubts if they will be able to finish the canvassing in two weeks. - KBK, RJAB Jr., GMANews.TV
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