The Philippine Online Chronicles

After debating on whether to create an IT body to simultaneously deal with problems or to thresh it all out first on the floor, the joint session of legislators decided to go with House Speaker Prospero Nograles's suggestion to canvass the OAV ballots first - most of which were done manually.

At around 7:00 p.m., the first ballot box from the Kingdom of Laos was brought to the Plenary Hall. Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile read the official script as the ballot was examined by other officials.

After opening the three padlocks outside, a bolt cutter was summoned to break into what seemed to be an inner seal. It took quite a while before it was finally opened. The number of the Certificate of Canvass was announced - five to be exact. The lawyers of the candidates of Presidentiables and Vice Presidentiables were allowed to examine the documents.

The tally of votes for the lone precinct of Laos was then read. Aquino got the highest among the presidential candidates with 55 votes; Villar got 38; Gordon, 28; Teodoro, 18; Extrada, 16; Villanueva, 14; and the rest got zero.

For the Vice Presidentiables, Roxas got 72; Binay, 33; Fernando, 24; Legarda, 27; and Manzano and Yasay tied at four votes each.

Other votes counted (in order) were from Guam, Brunei, Papua New Guinea, and Thailand.

In total, Aquino obtained 2,014 votes; Villar, 585; Teodoro, 548; Estrada, 400; Gordon, 298; Madrigal, 7; and Perlas, 2.

Rep. Darlene Antonino-Custodio of Gen. Santos City asserted the first-in first-out rule when it came to canvassing COCs, but Nograles said it would have to be temporarily suspended.

Much earlier in the hearing, the legislators were debating on the credibility of the electronically transmitted votes and how to deal with the problem. However, after two hours, Enrile said they were being delayed by the technical details and should instead start the canvassing.

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First ballot box from Laos opened. (abysmalreverie)