MANILA – A week after the May 9 national and local elections, the Commission on Elections (Comelec), sitting as the National Board of Canvassers (NBOC), has canvassed 172 out of 173 Certificates of Canvass (COCs) from local and overseas voting.

Commissioner George Garcia said in a press briefing on Monday that the only one left is the COC of Lanao del Sur, where 47 clustered precincts in 14 villages in Butig, Bindayan, and Tubaran will be conducting special polls.

Twelve villages in Tubaran will hold special elections on May 24 while the Comelec has yet to set the date for Butig and Bindayan.

Based on the latest National Tally Sheet released by the NBOC on Monday night, actor Robin Padilla remained in first place in the senatorial race with 26,491,176 votes.

Antique Rep. Loren Legarda is set to make her Senate comeback as she has a firm hold on second spot with 24,180,823 votes, followed by broadcaster Raffy Tulfo with 23,342,613.

Also part of the top 12 are Senator Sherwin Gatchalian with 20,545,327 votes; former Sorsogon Governor and returning senator Francis Escudero, 20,239,033; former Public Works and Highways secretary Mark Villar, 19,400,167; former House Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano, 19,260,370; Senator Miguel Zubiri, 18,661,089; Senator Joel Villanueva, 18,438,664; former senator JV Ejercito, 15,801,915; Senator Risa Hontiveros, 15,384,530; and former senator Jinggoy Estrada, 15,069,329.

They will be proclaimed on Wednesday without official ranking pending the votes from Lanao del Sur.

On the other hand, party-list organizations that have clinched at least one of three seats allowed, led by ACT-CIS (2,102,828 votes or 5.79 percent of total votes), will be proclaimed on Thursday.

The other groups are 1 Rider Party-list with 999,608 votes; Tingog, 884,595; 4PS, 834,345; Ako Bicol, 815,849; and Sagip, 774,075.

So far, the votes cast for the party-list system have reached 36,258,714 votes.

Under the law, organizations that received at least 2 percent of the total votes cast shall have one seat each in Congress. (PNA)