- Title: Official vote counting begins for next Philippine president
- Date: 25th May 2016
- Summary: ELECTION OFFICIAL READING OUT CERTIFICATE OF ELECTION RETURN VOTE CHECKING IN PROGRESS
- Embargoed: 9th June 2016 14:44
- Keywords: elections president Rodrigo Duterte counting canvassing
- Location: MANILA, PHILIPPINES
- City: MANILA, PHILIPPINES
- Country: Philippines
- Topics: Government/Politics
- Reuters ID: LVA0034JB205J
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: Legislators on Wednesday (May 25) began officially counting the ballots for the president and vice president, two weeks after the national elections.
Security was tight at the House of Representatives in Manila as the ballot boxes were transferred to the Plenary Hall for the manual and electronic counting of votes.
Under the Philippine election law, the Congress convenes as the official canvassing body to inspect both the electronic and manual election returns before proclaiming the winners in the presidential and vice presidential race.
Officials opened ballot boxes containing the election returns from various districts in the Philippines and manually tally the count on a large board.
Election lawyers from the candidates were present to witness and be able to raise questions on the counting.
Rodrigo Duterte, the tough talking southern mayor, is expected to win the presidential race after unofficial but election commission-accredited polls showed him leading by a wide margin.
Official partial results in Congress showed Duterte leading the presidential race.
The official counting could take days, if not weeks, until the winner is proclaimed by the Congress. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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