Former Sen. Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. and Vice President Leni Robredo. File photos from the Philippine Daily Inquirer
MANILA, Philippines — In the interest of transparency, the camp of Vice President Leni Robredo has asked the Presidential Electoral Tribunal (PET) to release a copy of the summary and committee reports on the revision, recount, and re-appreciation of ballots from three pilot provinces chosen by former senator Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos.
“It is respectfully prayed that this Honorable Tribunal furnishes the parties with a copy of the Summary and Committee Reports on the revision, recount and re-appreciation of ballots from the three (3) pilot provinces of Camarines Sur, Negros Occidental, and Iloilo,” read the motion filed by Robredo’s camp.
The motion was filed following reports quoting sources that PET has decided to set aside its rule on initial determination test on the three pilot provinces chosen by Marcos and opted to continue with the recount of the remaining 22 provinces and five highly urbanized cities, which are subject of the protest.
Robredo’s lawyer, Atty. Romulo Macalintal said PET cannot ignore its own 2010 rules – specifically Rule 65, which provides that electoral protest can be dismissed if the result of the initial recount showed that there was no substantial recovery in favor of the one making the protest.
“If only to put to rest the speculation in the greater interest of transparency, protestee Maria Leonor G. Robredo respectfully asks that the parties be furnished with a copy of the summary and committee report on the revision, recount, and re-appreciation of ballots from the three pilot provinces,” the motion stated.
“The parties need to be appraised on the truth of the real result of the revision, recount, and re-appreciation of ballots from the three pilot provinces… This will put to rest any apprehensions the parties entertain as a result of the speculations being reported in various media outlets,” it further asserted.
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