BOXING LEGEND Manny 'Pacman' Pacquiao is headed for defeat in the Senate race but former PBA stars like Vergel Meneses and Franz Pumaren are set for victories in a mix bag of results for sportsmen/ athletes in the May midterm elections.
Pacquiao, an eight-division world champion who is set to make the Boxing Hall of Fame next month, was well outside the magic circle of 12 that will win seats in the next Senate based on unofficial results released by GMA News' election coverage.
The 46-year old great was languishing in 18th place as of 9 a.m. on Tuesday with 8,400,813 votes - more than 2 million votes behind incumbent senator Imee Marcos who is holding on to 12th place at posting time with 10,716,756.
The impending loss, however, is expected to accelerate talks of a boxing comeback for Pacquiao, who, according to news leaked a few days ago, is set to fight WBC welterweight champion Mario Barrios in Las Vegas on July 19.
An official announcement is forthcoming, insiders in his camp bared.
READ Pacquiao in need of a final flurry as Filipinos go to the polls
The new Senate, however, won't be without a sportsman as Tito Sotto, a former national bowler and World Cup veteran although known more for his work in show business, is headed for a return to the Upper House.
The TV host and former vice-presidential candidate was consistently holding on to the 8th spot in unofficial results with close to 12 million votes.
Elsewhere, unofficial results show former San Miguel and NCC guard Pumaren on the way to clinching a second term as congressman representing Quezon City's third district, leading his main rival, Allan Reyes, by around 16,000 votes at posting time.
However, multi-titled swimmer and former Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) chairman Eric Buhain is losing in the battle for the Congressional seat in the first district of Batangas to Leandro Legarda Leviste, based on unofficial results.
Longtime boxing association president Manny Lopez also failed in his bid to reclaim his Congress seat in the first district of Manila, losing to incumbent Ernix Dionisio. But former national fencer Richard Gomez looks on track for a return to Congress as representative of Leyte's fourth district.
In the provincial races, Converge deputy coach and incumbent governors Dennis 'Delta' Pineda handily won as vice governor of Pampanga, leading Among Ed Panlilio by over 300,000 votes with only a few precincts left to count in the unofficial tally.
His mother Lilia is also returning to her old post as governor, leading Danilo Baylon by over 200,000 votes although the clan failed to gain a foothold in the capital city of San Fernando, where the former's daughter, Mylyn Pineda-Cayabyab, lost to incumbent Vilma Caluag by more than 60,000 votes.
Former Gintong Alay chief Michael Keon, on the other hand, lost to James Bryan Alcid in a tight race for mayor of Laoag City. President Marcos endorsed the candidacy of Alcid over incumbent Keon, his own cousin.
In Bulakan, Bulacan, former PBA MVP Meneses appeared headed for a third and final term as mayor based on the official tally, leading longtime rival and former mayor Patrick Meneses by over 6,000 votes.
Former La Salle big man Francis Zamora is winning by landslide against Crispa great Philip Cezar and is set to be joined in the city council by partymates James Yap, Ervic Vijandre, and Don Allado, although another former PBA star, first-timer Renren Ritualo, is still outside the magic circle in the first district in the unofficial tally.
Dodot winning, Dondon losing
In the vice-mayoral races, Dodot Jaworski is headed for a second term as Pasig City vice mayor in tandem with Vico Sotto, leading Iyo Caruncho Bernardo by a wide margin, 237,127 to 58,841, based on the unofficial count.
However, PBA great Dondon Hontiveros is losing in a tight, three-cornered race for the vice mayor post in Cebu City, trailing former mayor and congressman Tommy Osmena, 178,656 to 145,461, in the unofficial tally.
In Makati City, taekwondo Olympian Monsour del Rosario is also losing to Kid Pena in a one-on-one battle for the vice mayor post. UAAP commissioner Rebo Saguisag also lost his council seat in the country's premier business district.
Among the sportsmen/ athletes winning council seats are former PBA star Gary David (Dinalupihan, Bataan), former PBA coach Binky Favis (Paranaque), former PBA player Jervy Cruz (Nampicuan, Nueva Ecija), former UST star Jeric Teng (Gumaca, Quezon) former Perpetual Help gunner GJ Ylagan (Gumaca, Quezon), Zamboanga Valientes owner Junnie Navarro (Zamboanga City), and coach Elvis Tolentino (Marikina, second district).
READ Three partylist groups that list sports as main advocacy
However, former PBA star Bong Alvarez is still outside the magic circle of six in the battle for council seats in Manila's third district. Bonel Balingit also looks bound to suffer rhe same fate in the battle for council seats in the second district of Cebu City.
Two-time PBA MVP Danny Ildefonso is also trailing in the race for council seats in his hometown Urdaneta in Pangasinan. Unofficial counts show Ildefonso with more than 21,000 votes - well outside the Top 10 in 16th place.
Former PBA coach Gilbert Malabanan is also on the outside looking in heading to the official count in San Pedro, Laguna. Arellano's Ian Alban is also on the losing end in the battle for council seats in Manila's first district.
On the other hand, two partylist candidates with strong links to Pacquiao are also faring badly in unofficial results.
1Pacman, which has won Congress seats in the last three elections, is currently in 69th place with 184,571 votes - still short of the 2 percent required to give Capital1 team owner Milka Romero a place in the Lower Chamber.
MPBL, which lists former PBA MVP Kenneth Duremdes and Pacquiao's wife Jinkee among its nominees, is in 159th spot with just 18,590 votes in the unofficial count.
PBA (Pwersa ng Bayaning Atleta), which like 1Pacman has won seats in the last three polls, is languishing near the bottom with just 28,401 votes.
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