Philippine administration senatorial candidates Team Pinoy trounced UNA opposition candidates in the dual citizens absentee voting held in New South Wales in Australia and in Pacific island of New Caledonia. The two places are the territories covered by the consular posting of the Philippine Consulate General in Sydney.
Team Pinoy captured 10 places of the 12 leading candidates’ positions lead by re-electionist Senator Francis Escudero. Only former Senator Richard Gordon of UNA and independent candidate Edward Hagedorn, of Palawan, are the candidates outside of the Team Pinoy coalition who made it to the top 12.
Observers said Richard Gordon fared well among overseas voters having been a former Philippine tourism cabinet secretary and former Palawan local government official Edward Hagdorn, for the present popularity of Palawan as a tourist destination.
Only 591 overseas absentee voters out of the total 3,218 registered voters cast their votes.
Those in the “magic 12” are Francis Escudero, 393; Loren Legarda, 379; Peter Cayetan, 369; Koko Pimentel, 354; Ramon Magsaysay Jr., 354; Grace Poe, 354; Richard Gordon, 340; Bam Aquino, 324; Anna Hontiveros, 314; Sonny Angara, 293; Antonio Trillianes IV, 249 and Edward Hagedorn, 249.
On partylist voting, the leading organisations voted for are Gabriela -40 ; Yacap – 29; CIBAC – 29;Migrante – 29; Senior Citizens – 26; Bayan Muna – 20; Akbayan – 20.
The voting result tabulated by the Philippine Consulate General in Sydney would be sent to Philippine Embassy in Canberra for the canvassing of overall votes cast in Australia. A number of interested members of the public and representatives of the media stayed overnight of Monday 13 May at the Philippine consulate and witnessed the canvassing of votes.