Whether or not the Presidential Electoral Tribunal (PET) can actually annul election results, in connection with the election protest of former Sen. Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. against Vice President Leni Robredo, is a matter the PET will have to decide, according to the Commission on Elections (Comelec).
“The PET should have the authority to annul election results if and only if circumstances require it,” Comelec spokesperson James Jimenez said at a press briefing on Thursday.
“There are very strict conditions and this is within the power of the electoral tribunal and not the Comelec. Remember, once the proclamation is done, the result is no longer within our jurisdiction, not our call,” Jimenez said.
The Comelec official’s statement comes in the wake of a pending petition of Marcos for the annulment of election results for the position of vice president in Maguindanao, Lanao del Sur and Basilan.
Former Comelec Chair Sixto Brillantes Jr., in an interview on Thursday, said it would be impossible to hold special elections for vice president in the three Mindanao provinces.
“Election is over. This [petition] is for the annulment of results, not for failure of elections. There can be no more special elections,” Brillantes said.
“Actually, if it were just up to me, I would have told Marcos that he should have used those three Mindanao provinces as his pilot provinces and not Negros Oriental, Iloilo and Camarines Sur,” Brillantes added.