Pimentel may be proclaimed senator next week — Angara

UPDATED 12:45 p.m. - The Senate Electoral Tribunal (SET) might declare as soon as next week that Atty. Aquilino "Koko" Pimentel III was the real 12th winning senator in the 2007 elections, Senator Edgardo Angara said on Thursday. In a report aired over GMA News TV's "News To Go," reporter Lia Mañalac quoted Angara as saying because Juan Miguel Zubiri will withdraw his counter-protest against Pimentel, the SET can rule on Pimentel's electoral protest. "That's the trigger. Within one to two weeks the whole thing can be completed," Angara told GMA News Online in a separate interview. Angara said the SET might issue as soon as next week a resolution saying that Pimentel was the real winner during the 2007 polls. This resolution just needs to be circulated for signature among the other members of the SET, Angara said. "Based on he count now, he (Pimentel) is ahead of the vote count," he said. Angara noted, however, that it is the Commission on Elections (Comelec) which will officially proclaim Pimentel as the 12th winning senator. It is likewise the one that needs to administer his oath. Angara, a former member of the SET who closely monitored the case, explained that based on the their latest recount, Pimentel was leading over Zubiri. Pimentel ranked 13th in the 2007 senatorial elections with 10,987,347 votes. Zubiri scraped through at 12th with 11,005,866 votes. Pimentel questioned Zubiri's win before the SET. Early Wednesday evening, Zubiri told reporters that he was going to withdraw his counter-protest so the SET can an resolve Pimentel's electoral protest at the soonest possible time. "Pinadali ko lang yung proseso," he said.
Very good news Reached by "News To Go" for his comment on the development, Pimentel said: "That's very good news." "Actually, nasa sa kanila (SET) na yun if they really want to act on it. They can do it today, tomorrow, next week or next month. Kung ganyan ang sinasabi ng Senate delegation, sila naman ang majority sa SET, that's very good news para sa akin at para na rin sa lahat," he added. Angara's announcement came a day after Zubiri, whose victory in the 2007 midterm elections is being questioned before the SET, resigned from his post. Sen. Francis Pangilinan, a current member of the SET, told GMA News Online on Thursday that they will still have to wait for the formal manifestation of Zubiri to see how it will affect the pending protest. "But offhand a withdrawal by Zubiri would ba favorable to Koko but yes it isn't automatic as it will depend on the nature of the manifestation of Zubiri," he said in a text message. He added that they might ask Pimentel to comment or submit a written manifestation on the matter and then decide en banc how they should proceed. "Definitively the withdrawal will have a direct bearing on the ongoing protest and may lead to an early resolution of the case," he said in another text message. On "State of the Nation" on GMA News TV on Wednesday, Pimentel said with Zubiri's resignation, Zubiri’s counter-protest to his protest that has been rendered moot and academic. Pimentel clarified that his protest still stands and to assume the vacated Senate seat, he needs the SET to proclaim him as the duly-elected Senator with a lead of 257,000 votes over Zubiri. - with VVP, RSJ GMA News