DAVAO Mayor Rodrigo Duterte has taken a wide lead in the presidential race, registering 10,459,816 votes in the partial and unofficial results as of 8:05 pm last night.
Sen. Grace Poe trailed behind with 5,952,327 while former Interior Secretary Manuel Roxas II had 5,806,579.
Vice President Jejomar Binay ranked fourth with 3,541,942 while Sen. Miriam Santiago received 1,093,472 as of 8:05 pm.
In the vice presidential race, Sen. Ferdinand Marcos Jr. registered 9,687,332, leaving behind administration candidate Rep. Leni Robredo who had 8,766,707.
Sen. Alan Peter Cayetano had 3,666,142; Sen. Francis Escudero, 3,093,266; Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV, 519,565; and Sen. Gregorio Honasan, 451,655.
About 40.82 percent or 37,758 of 92,509 clustered precincts nationwide have transmitted votes to the Commission on Elections (Comelec) as of 7 pm.
Meanwhile, Duterte, who is leading, offered a hand of reconciliation to his presidential opponents and other candidates. “Let us begin the national healing now,” he said.
Duterte called out to his rivals, including Sen. Trillanes who filed plunder charges against him, to begin the healing, saying that “the black propaganda and false accusations are just clearly part of the days’ work in an election.”
He said all of them have been ruffled terribly and hurt by the black propaganda, including the “whole kitchen sink to his direction.
“Let us forget and start the healing. Let us be friends. Let us forget the travails of the elections,” he called out.
When asked if no one of his opponents wanted to accept the goodwill, Duterte said, “Fine.”
He said he has deep and abiding faith in God although he admitted, “I am a freeange believer in God.” He said he believes in the “eternal law of karma... do good and you will be rewarded with goodness... do bad and karma takes over.”
While this election is his 11th with zero defeat, Duterte declined to answer any possible victory. “I ain’t there until I am there,” he said.
Duterte said he can go down in defeat and go up in victory. “I am hopeful and I pray to God. If he wants me there, I will accept it. I will retire from public life,” he said. (with reports from pna)
