Tolentino's assigned number on the official ballot stays at 61

Senate Majority Leader Francis 'Tol' Tolentino's number in the list of senatorial candidates on the official ballot that will be used for the May 12 elections will remain at 61.

This was assured by Commission on Elections (COMELEC) Chairperson George Garcia, during an interview on DZRH's SOS program, where Tolentino is one of the co-anchors.

Garcia said that the number assigned to Tolentino and several candidates whose names come after former Ilocos Sur Governor Chavit Singson, who is no.58 on the list, will not be affected as well.

The poll body chief explained that this is the result of: (1) the addition on the ballot of senatorial aspirant Subair Guinthum Mustapha, who was able to secure a temporary restraining order (TRO) from the Supreme Court against the Comelec ruling declaring him a nuisance candidate; as well as (2) the recent decision by Singson to officially withdraw his candidacy for senator due to health reasons.

Meanwhile, the numbers assigned to senatorial candidates whose names come after Mustapha and before the slot used to be occupied by Singson, will change in the updated ballot.

"We have to respect the High Court's decision because it's the rule of law," Garcia said, while noting that the poll body has made all the necessary adjustments and will resume printing of the updated ballots by Wednesday.

Tolentino, a lawyer, agreed with Garcia and said that the poll body needs the public's support for the conduct of fast and orderly polls this May.