Commission on Elections (Comelec) Chairman Sixto Brillantes Jr. has temporarily suspended the release of the unofficial election results from the Comelec transparency server in order to avoid confusion during the planned proclamation of five to six senatorial candidates on the evening of May 16.

“Now, I’m going to issue already that we stop the transparency for the meantime. Suspend lang para hindi magkagulo dahil magpo-proclaim na kami mamayang gabi, e (We’ll just suspend it, so there won't be any confusion, because we’ll be proclaiming the senators tonight.).” he was quoted as telling reporters in an article on GMA News Online.

However, Brillantes clarified that the media and the election watchdogs will still be able to get the results, though they won’t be allowed to publish it.

“We are just suspending the transparency results while we are proclaiming the winners tapos (and then) they can resume after the proclamation and they can continue to publish after the proclamation,” he explained. “Break lang sila, suspension lang during proclamation day. If it will take us two days, magkakaroon ng suspension for two days (They're just on break, we’ll just suspend it during proclamation day. If it will take us two days, there will be a suspension for two days.). Once we have proclaimed all the 12 then the transparency can continue.”

Through all this, Brillantes has assured the public that there will be no foul play during the suspension of the results’ announcement.

“Yung madudumi ang isip 'yun ang iisipin, pero nakabantay naman lahat ng watchers, ano ba namang switching ang pinagsasabi?” he said. “Hindi ba sila nakatutok, UNA (United Nationalist Alliance) and LP (Liberal Party) have their watchers, andun ang PPCRV, andun din ang Namfrel (National Citizens’ Movement for Free Elections) sa presinto, e 'di sumama sila para malaman nila (Only those with suspicious minds will think of that, but all the watchers are guarding the count, so how can vote switching happen? Aren’t they watching the results? UNA and LP have their watchers, there’s also the PPCRV, and Namfrel is in the precinct, so they can just join them and see for themselves.).”

(Photo courtesy of PEP.ph)