VP poll protest: Marcos seeks deferment of deadline on comment submission

MANILA, Philippines –  Former senator Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. has asked the Presidential Electoral Tribunal (PET) to defer the deadline for the submission of a memorandum regarding his vice presidential election protest.

In Marcos’ motion dated October 22, he sought for the deadline for submission of the memorandum be deferred until his camp is able photocopy relevant reports on the revision and appreciation of votes in the three pilot provinces — Camarines Sur, Iloilo and Negros Oriental.

The Supreme Court, which sits as the PET, earlier did not rule on the committee report on the result of revision of ballots from three pilot provinces chosen by Marcos.

Instead, the Tribunal asked both parties to comment on the report and submit a memorandum on other issues relating to the jurisdiction as well as Marcos’ third cause of action which seeks to nullify election results for the vice presidency in Lanao Del Sur, Basilan and Maguindanao.

“Considering that the relevant report/s on the revision and the appreciation of votes relating to the three pilot protested provinces consist of voluminous documents, protestant Marcos is constrained to request this Honorable Tribunal to allow him to photocopy the said report/s to enable him to comply with the directive of this Honorable Tribunal to file his comment thereon,” the motion stated.

Further, Marcos also asked the PET to accredit, authorize, and allow several designated representatives to participate in the photocopying of the requested documents.

Marcos also requested that any administrative expense incurred by his request for the photocopying of the necessary documents be deducted from his cash deposit.

“And considering that the photocopying of the reports has yet to commence, protestant Marcos is likewise constrained to move for the deferment of his deadline to submit his comments on the said report/s on the revision and appreciation of votes until the requested photocopying of the documents reports is granted and completed,” the motion reads.

Robredo defeated Marcos in the 2016 vice-presidential elections by over 260,000 votes.

Marcos, however, questioned the results of the elections and filed an electoral protest.  /gsg