Ten Senate bets proclaimed Wednesday; Recto concedes

(Updated 5:46 p.m.) The Commission on Elections (Comelec) will proclaim 10 winning senatorial candidates on Wednesday even as administration reelectionist Sen. Ralph Recto conceded defeat in the polls. Comelec Chair Benjamin Abalos said the candidates assured of their electoral win are Loren Legarda, Francis Joseph Escudero, Panfilo Lacson, Manuel Villar, Francis Pangilinan, Benigno Simeon "Noynoy" Aquino III, Edgardo Angara, Alan Peter Cayetano, Joker Arroyo and Gregorio Honasan. Of the ten, Lacson, Villar, Pangilinan, Angara and Arroyo are reelectionists. Honasan and Legarda, meanwhile, are former senators. Two (Angara and Arroyo) ran under the administration's Team Unity ticket. Three of them – Escudero, Aquino and Cayetano – come from the minority bloc of the House of Representatives. Abalos said they are now sending invitations to the winning candidates. The partial proclamation will be held at the Philippine International Convention Center (PICC) where the National Board of Canvassers (NBC) is conducting the tabulation of votes. "GO (Genuine Opposition) promised to provide the cocktails," Abalos said jokingly in a press conference at the Philippine International Convention Center in Pasay City. "The difference between the 11th, 12th and 13th candidates is only about 400,000 votes," he said. Nearly the same time that Abalos was making the announcement, Recto delivered a valedictory speech at the Senate and stated that he was conceding the electoral battle. Recto, currently ranked 14th at the Senate race, said that, "Fate has not smiled kindly on us this time." "For me, this is the time to accept the will of the people ... The outpouring of votes is impressive, and warmly appreciated, but not enough to constitute a mandate to serve," Recto said. He now looked forward to "savor simple joys" which were deprived of him because of "years of accumulated parental deficit." Such pleasures included driving his son Ryan Christian to school, taking him to swimming, honing his putting skills and going with him to the mall. Taking a bow As of Monday afternoon, Recto trailed 12th placer Aquilino "Koko" Pimentel III (Genuine Opposition) by 409,982 votes. The National Board of Canvassers has six certificates of canvass left to process, which represents 1.4 million registered voters from three provinces. Recto is the second Team Unity candidate to concede and the third bet overall. He followed fellow administration bet Michael Defensor and GO's Sonia Roco. Defensor earlier said he was admitting defeat to ease tensions that electoral cheating would be conducted to ensure his win. He did not believe his closeness to President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, who made him part of her Cabinet since assuming power in 2001, contributed to his defeat. For her part, Roco appealed to the public to remain vigilant against election cheating and fight for the truth, justice and freedom. - with a report from Amita Legaspi, GMANews.TV