PET dismisses Marcos poll protest vs Robredo, stresses ‘entire’ case junked
Update
MANILA, Philippines – The Supreme Court sitting as the Presidential Electoral Tribunal (PET) unanimously voted to dismiss the election protest of former senator Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos against Vice President Leni Robredo.
In its updated briefer Tuesday afternoon, the high court, through its Public Information Office said: “With regard to PET Case No. 005 (Ferdinand “Bongbong” R. Marcos, Jr., protestant vs Maria Leonor “Leni Daang Matuwid” G. Robredo, protestee), the 15 members of the Presidential Electoral Tribunal unanimously dismissed the entire electoral protest.”
“WHEREFORE, the Presidential Electoral Tribunal DISMISSES the Election Protest filed by protestant Ferdinand “Bongbong” R. Marcos, Jr. for lack of merit. The Counter-Protest filed by protestee Maria Leonor “Leni Daang Matuwid” G. Robredo is likewise DISMISSED,” it added quoting the dispositive portion of the ruling.
Supreme Court Spokesperson Atty. Brian Keith Hosaka said out of the 15 justices who were present during Tuesday’s session, “seven members fully concurred in the dismissal while eight justices concurred in the results.”
However, Hosaka could not give additional information why the justices voted that way.
But court insiders said the PET dismissed the case because the Marcos camp has failed to give specific details on areas that he claimed are laden with election irregularities.
The insiders also noted the substantial recovery of votes favoring Robredo in 5,415 clustered precincts in Camarines Sur, Iloilo and Negros Oriental, the pilot provinces subject of the protest.
The substantial recovery from the pilot provinces is contained in the PET report on October 2019, indicating that Robredo’s lead grew by around 15,000.
In that October 2019 PET ruling, only then Senior Associate Justice Antonio Carpio and Alfredo Benjamin Caguioa wanted the poll protest to be dismissed. They, however, lost to the majority.
The protest continued with a new justice in-charge–Associate Justice Marvic Leonen.
Marcos and the Office of the Solicitor-General moved for Leonen’s inhibition, but the PET unanimously denied both petitions.
WATCH: Supreme Court Spokesperson Atty. Brian Keith Hosaka announces PET ruling that dismisses the electoral protest of ex-Senator BongBong Marcos vs VP Leni Robredo. @inquirerdotnet pic.twitter.com/dKJSM4Skzj
— tetch torres-tupas (@T2TupasINQ) February 16, 2021
In October 2019, the PET, in its report, said Robredo’s lead grew by around 15,000 votes after a recount of ballots from the 5,415 clustered precincts in Camarines Sur, Iloilo, and Negros Oriental.
Meanwhile, the camp of Marcos has maintained that the dismissal of his poll protest against Robredo only deals with its second cause of action and not the entire petition.
“Based on the official pronouncement made by the Presidential Electoral Tribunal today, the court unanimously voted to dismiss our second cause of action, which is the manual recount and judicial revision,” Rodriguez said in a statement.
“However, as to the issue on how to proceed with our third cause of action, which is the annulment of votes in Mindanao, the Tribunal has yet to decide on the matter,” he added.
READ: It’s not over yet: Marcos camp says SC only junked one part of poll protest
