Padilla, Legarda, Tulfo lead Senate race

MANILA — Actor Robin Padilla and veteran l awmaker Loren Legarda were the early l eaders in the senatorial race, according to the partial and unofficial tally based on the Commission on Elections’ transparency server.

As of 3 p. m. on Tuesday, Padilla was ahead of the pack with 26,302,338 vo t e s , followed closely by Legarda with 23,877,658 votes.

In third place was radio broadcaster Raffy Tulfo with 23,067,747 votes with incumbent Sen. Sherwin Gatchalian (20,288,527 votes) and Sorsogon Gov. Chiz Escudero ( 19,961,606 votes) not far off.

In sixth and seventh places were former Ca b i net member s of President Rodrigo Duterte: former Public Works Secretary Mark Villar (19,112,321 votes) and former Foreign Secretary Alan Peter Cayetano ( 18,999,443 votes).

They were followed by incumbent senators

Miguel Zubiri ( 18,494,141 votes) and Joel Villanueva (18,227,576 votes).

In 10th place was J V Ejercito, who’s trying to make a political comeback, with 15,622,958 votes. Behind him were incumbent Sen. Risa Hontiveros (15,209,021 votes) and his estranged half-brother Jinggoy Estrada (14,904,588

votes).

Former Vice President Jejomar Binay was in 13th place with 13,131,127 votes after trailing behind Quezon City Mayor Herbert Bautista early in the count. (Kathleen de Villa ©Philippine Daily Inquirer 2022)