Manalo matalo uupo pa rin! Macalintal: Robredo to stay regardless of PET recount results

Former Senator Bongbong Marcos and Vice President Leni Robredo / photo file from Philstar

Vice President Leni Robredo will remain in her post despite Presidential Electoral Tribunal’s (PET) decision on the initial recount carried out as part of the election protest filed by former Senator Ferdinand Marcos Jr., her lawyer said on Sunday (October 6).

In a statement, Romulo Macalintal, who serves as the lead counsel of Robredo clarified that the pending outcome will only resolve whether Marcos protest will continue or not.

“I just want to make it very clear that whatever will be the decision or resolution of the PET in the election protest of Bongbong Marcos against VP Leni Robredo, as reported in various media and the subject of various speculations, VP Robredo will remain as Vice President,” he said.

“If the PET says that Marcos has made a substantial recovery, then the PET will rule that the protest shall continue, insofar as the ballots and/or election returns questioned by Marcos from 22 remaining provinces and 5 highly urbanized cities. In which case, Robredo remains as Vice President pending recount of ballots or returns from said 22 provinces and 5 HUCs (highly urbanized cities),” Macalintal added.

Reports came out that the Supreme Court voted 8-6 in favor of proceeding with the electoral protest, however, Chief Justice Bersamin reportedly told the media on October 3 that "[t]here is no definite voting yet or anything that happened in that particular case.”

The former Senator and son of late strongman Ferdinand Marcos suffered a narrow loss versus Robredo in 2016 vice presidential elections with a deficit of only 263,473 votes, a 0.64% difference.

The votes recount began started in April 2018 when former Senator Marcos filed his election protest due to reported irregularities in some of the provinces.

"If PET rules that Marcos was unable to gain any substantial recovery from the recount of ballots from his three pilot provinces, then his protest will be dismissed and VP Leni’s victory will be affirmed," Macalintal said. 

Source: Politiko