Article 71p. 71

OMNIBUS ELECTION CODE ELECTION LAWS, RULES AND PROCEDURES

accordance with a voluntary agreement among them. If

no such agreement is reached, the Commission shall

decide which parties shall receive the copies on the basis

of criteria analogous to that provided in Section 26 of

republic Act No. 7166;

11) The twenty-first to the twenty-fifth copies, to

national broadcast or print media entities as may be

equitably determined by the Commission in view of

propagating the copies to the widest extent possible;

12) The twenty-sixth and twenty-seventh copies, to

local

broadcast

or

print

media

entities

as

may be

equitably determined by the Commission in view of

propagating the copies to the widest extent possible; and

13) The twenty-eighth to the thirtieth copies to the

major citizens' arms, including the accredited citizens'

arm,

and other non-partisan groups or organization

enlisted by the Commission pursuant to section 52(k) of

Batas Pambansa Blg. 881. Such citizens' arms, groups and

organization may use the five certified copies of election

returns for the conduct of citizens' quick counts at the

local or national levels.

Immediately after the eight copy is printed, the poll

clerk shall announce the posting of said copy on a wall

within the premises of the polling place or counting

center, which must be sufficiently lighted and accessible

to the public. Any person may view or capture an image

of the election return by means of any data capturing

device such as, but not limited to cameras at any time of

the day for forty-eight (48) hours following its posting.

After such period, the chairman of the board of election

inspectors shall detach the election return from the wall

and keep the same in his custody to be produced as may

be requested by any voter for image or data capturing or

for any lawful purpose as may be ordered by competent

authority.

Within one hour after the printing of the election

returns, the chairman of the board of election inspectors

or any official authorized by the Commission shall, in the

presence

of

watchers

and

representatives

of

the

accredited citizens' arm, political parties/candidates, if

any, electronically transmit the precinct results to the

respective levels of board of canvassers, to the dominant

majority and minority party, to the accredited citizen's

arm, and to the Kapisanan ng mga Broadcaster ng

Pilipinas (KBP).

The

election

results

at

the

city/municipality

canvassing centers shall be transmitted in the same

manner by the election officer or any official authorized

by the commission to the district or provincial canvassing

centers.

The election returns transmitted electronically and

digitally signed shall be considered as official election

results and shall be used as the basis for the canvassing of

votes and the proclamation of a candidate.

After the electronic results have been transmitted

additional copies not to exceed thirty (30) may be printed

and given to requesting parties at their own expense.

(18a) (as amended by RA No 9369)

Section 23. Custody and accountability of ballots . —

The

election

officer

and

the

treasurer

of

the

city/municipality as deputy of the Commission shall have

joint custody and accountability of the official ballots,

accountable forms and other election documents as well

as ballot boxes containing the official ballots cast. The

ballot boxes shall not be opened for three (3) months

unless the Commission orders otherwise. (19a)

Section 24. Substitution of Chairman and Members

of the Board of Canvassers . — In case of non-availability,

absence, disqualification due to relationship, or incapacity

for any cause of the chairman, the Commission shall

appoint

as

substitute,

a

ranking

lawyer

of

the

Commission. With respect to the other members of the

board, the Commission shall appoint as substitute the

following in the order named: the provincial auditor, the

register of deeds, the clerk of court nominated by the

executive judge of the regional trial court, or any other

available appointive provincial official in the case of the

provincial board of canvassers; the officials in the city

corresponding to those enumerated in the case of the

city board of canvassers; and the municipal administrator,

the municipal assessor, the clerk of court nominated by

the judge of the municipal trial court, in the case of the

municipal board of canvassers. (20a)

Section 25. Canvassing by Provincial, City, District

and Municipal Boards of Canvassers . — The City or

Municipal board of canvassers shall canvass the votes for

the

president,

vice-president,

senators,

and

parties,

organization

or

coalitions

participating

under

the

party-list

system

by

consolidating

the

electronically

transmitted results contained in the data storage devices

used

in

the

printing

of

the election returns. Upon

completion of the canvass, it shall print the certificate of

canvass of votes for president, vice-president, senators

and members of the House of Representatives and

elective provincial officials and thereafter, proclaim the

elected city or municipal officials, as the case may be.

The city board of canvassers of cities comprising one

or more legislative districts shall canvass the votes for

president,

vice-president,

senators,

members

of

the

House

Representatives

and

elective

city

officials

by

consolidating the certificates of canvass electronically

transmitted or the results contained in the data storage

devices used in the printing of the election returns. Upon

completion of the canvass, the board shall procedure the

canvass

of

votes

for

president,

vice-president,

and

senators thereafter, proclaim the elected members of the

House of Representatives and city officials.

In

the

Metro

Manila

area,

each

municipality

comprising a legislative district shall have a district board

of canvassers which shall canvass the votes for president,

vice-president,

senators,

members

of

the

House

of

Representatives

and

elective

municipal

officials

by

consolidating the electronically transmitted results or the

results contained in the data storage devices used in the

printing of the election returns. Upon completion of the

canvass, it shall produce the certificate of canvass of votes

for president, vice-president, and senators and thereafter,

proclaim

the

elected

members

of

the

House

Representatives and municipal officials.

Each component municipality in a legislative district

in the Metro Manila area shall have a municipal board of

canvassers which shall canvass the votes for president,

vice-president,

senators,

members

of

the

house

of

Representatives

and

elective

municipal

officials

by

consolidating the results electronically transmitted from

the counting centers or the results contained in the data

storage devices used in the printing of the election

returns. Upon completion of the canvass, it shall prepare

the

certificate

of

canvass

of

votes

for

president,

vice-president,

senators,

members

of

the

House

of

Representatives

and thereafter, proclaim the elected

municipal officials.

The district board of canvassers of each legislative

district comprising two municipalities in the Metro Manila

area shall canvass the votes for president, vice-president,

senators and members of the House of Representatives

by consolidating the certificates of canvass electronically

transmitted

from

the

city/municipal

consolidating

centers or the results contained in the data storage

devices submitted by the municipal board of canvassers

of the component municipalities. Upon completion of the

canvass. It shall produce a certificate of the canvass votes

for president, vice-president, senators and thereafter,

proclaim

the

elected

members

of

the

House

of

Representatives in the legislative district.

The

district/provincial

board

of

canvassers

shall

canvass the votes for president, vice-president, senators,

members of the House of Representatives and elective

provincial

officials

by

consolidating

the

results

electronically

transmitted

from

the

city/municipal

consolidating centers or the results contained in the data

storage devices submitted by the board of canvassers of

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