Images from GMA News/CNN Philippines’ Facebook accounts - TV networks apologized for senator’s decreased vote count in a 5:30 AM update
- They attributed it to a typographical error
- Both networks have since updated their infographics to reflect the correct number
MANILA, Philippines – Seeking to quell fears of any vote-shaving in the hotly-contested vice presidential race between Camarines Sur Rep. Leni Robredo and Sen. Bongbong Marcos, TV networks GMA News and CNN Philippines apologized profusely for mistakenly decreasing Sen. Francis “Chiz” Escudero’s vote count in one of their early morning updates.
On its Facebook page, GMA News apologized for the mistake and attributed it to a ‘typographical error’.
“The GMA News Social Media graphic of the 5:30 AM VP count had a typographical error. Sen. Chiz Escudero’s count should have been 4,499,039. We apologize for this error,” the network said.
CNN Philippines also issued a similar apology.
“Partial unofficial election returns posted on social media accounts of CNN Philippines at 5:30 AM on Tuesday (May 10) contained discrepancies. CNN Philippines found out the number was erroneous as it followed an earlier higher figure. The infographic was updated to reflect the correct numbers. We apologize to reflect the correct numbers,” the network noted.
On its timeline, CNN Philippines pushed the original number in question— 4,449,503—which was stated in the 5:30 AM update back to 3:40 AM to correctly reflect an increase in the next update at 4:40 AM (4,479, 913).
Both sites source their figures from the Commission on Elections (Comelec)’s transparency server.
Earlier, supporters of Marcos cried foul over Escudero’s decrease in votes and accused the poll body of transferring them to Robredo.
Marcos and Robredo are engaged in a nail-biting race for the vice-presidency, with the latter overtaking the former after being down by more than a million votes early in the canvassing.
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