Tight VP race highlights importance of OAV votes - Comelec

The tight race between vice presidential candidates Camarines Sur Rep. Leni Robredo and Sen. Bongbong Marcos highlights the important role played by overseas Filipinos in the election process, the Commission on Elections (Comelec) said Tuesday.
"Sa tingin ko ang malinaw na mensahe diyan is tapos na 'yung panahon na ini-ignore 'yung overseas vote," Comelec spokesperson James Jimenez told reporters.
Votes from Filipinos overseas are seen to determine who would win between Robredo and Marcos, who were still neck-and-neck in the vice presidential race as of Tuesday afternoon with Robredo leading by only about 190,000 votes in the partial and unofficial tally.
The Comelec earlier set a record for high registration, with a total of 1,386,087 million Filipinos signing up for overseas voting. At least 420,000 of them cast their ballots during the month-long voting period, held from April 9 to May 9.
"This is important because you have to understand, we are looking at more than 400,000 votes from overseas and the leads of the candidates are very small," Jimenez said.
"Considering nga na 400,000 votes ang ine-expect natin, malinaw na malinaw na magiging relevant 'yung bilang sa overseas [voting]," he added.
So far, the poll body has received results from Malaysia, Agaña in Guam, Yangon in Myanmar, Prague in Czech Republic, and the Vatican. More of it are expected on Tuesday night.
Jimenez said this may bring the plight of the overseas Filipinos closer to the government.
"It's a very good development because, you know, overseas Filipinos do need the support of the government. Overseas Filipinos do need the protection of government in a lot of cases. So maganda 'yang they are being felt." —KBK, GMA News

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