Kaya Natin! defends Robredo from automated cheating claims

Administration vice presidential candidate Leni Robredo in a press conference at the Microtel Acropolis in Quezon City. JULLIANE LOVE DE JESUS/INQUIRER.net FILE PHOTO

Kaya Natin! champion Migs Dominguez, a former Sarangani governor, defended  administration candidate Camarines Sur Rep. Ma. Leonor “Leni” Robredo against allegations by Sen. Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. that she cheated her way in the vice presidential race.

In a statement of support on Thursday, Dominguez said the Marcos camp has not presented evidence that the Liberal Party has executed a new computer command in the Commission on Elections (Comelec) Transparency Server that shaved Marcos’ votes for Robredo, giving her the lead over her closest rival.

Dominguez was awarded champion of good governance by the movement founded by Robredo’s husband, the late Interior Secretary and former Naga Mayor Jesse Robredo, who espoused humble grassroots leadership in Naga before his death in a plane crash in 2012.

“We strongly condemn the allegations of cheating and electoral fraud made by the camp of Senator Bongbong Marcos [against] the camp of Rep. Leni Robredo and the Comelec,” Dominguez said.

“Ever since these malicious allegations have been made in public, the Marcos camp has not presented any clear, concrete evidence to back up their claims. As in any accusation made, we challenge the Marcos camp to justify their allegations with facts and not mere hearsay,” he added.

Dominguez said on behalf of Kaya Natin! that he was offended by Marcos camp’s insinuations that Robredo’s lead was a result of vote rigging in Mindanao.

“We take offense at the fact that the Marcos camp has alluded that there was cheating in Mindanao, which gave rise to Leni’s lead,” Dominguez said.

“Huwag ninyo kaming tawaging mandaraya (Don’t accuse us of being cheaters),” he said.

Dominguez said it was not Robredo but Marcos who would do anything to win the vice presidency for his ultimate shot at the presidency in 2022.

Dominguez said it is time for the country to be run by leaders who come from the grassroots, referring to the tandem of Robredo, a Camarines Sur representative, and presumptive presidential winner Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte.

“As Rody and Leni come from the provinces, it is high time for the provinces to receive their fair share of development,” Dominguez said.

“Let’s move forward, stop the divisiveness, and look forward to the Duterte-Robredo administration,” he added.

Robredo has maintained a 200,000-vote lead over Marcos in the latest unofficial count.

Refusing to accept defeat, the camp of Marcos accused the administration of orchestrating the execution of a new computer command in the Comelec Transparency Server that allegedly shaved some votes for Marcos and increased the votes for Robredo.

READ: Bongbong hints LP behind alleged server anomaly

Marcos had also decried alleged massive cheating by the Liberal Party, supposedly the administration’s “Plan B” to rig the elections to make Robredo win and then have Duterte impeached in a bid to have the Liberal Party regain control of Malacañang.

READ: Marcos on Robredo lead: ‘Plan B’ in full swing

Robredo earlier said it was unfair for Marcos to accuse her of cheating without substantiating it.

“Napakaunfair na masabing nandadaya na hindi mo naman sinasubstantiate (It’s so unfair to accuse someone of cheating without substantiating your claim),” Robredo said in a press briefing on Tuesday.

READ: Robredo dares critics: Prove accusations of LP poll cheating

Comelec chairperson Andy Bautista ruled out the allegations of cheating, adding that the new script was altered to correct the spelling mistake in deceased presidential candidate Roy Señeres’ name.

He said the new script in the Comelec Transparency Server did not alter the results of the elections. RAM/rga

READ: Comelec says script tweak was minor, did not affect results