Vote recount to confirm people decided Leni Robredo is VP, says LP

The recount of votes for the vice presidency before the Presidential Electoral Tribunal (PET) would only confirm that the Filipinos chose Vice President Leni Robredo, her allies from the Liberal Party (LP) said on Tuesday.

“Kolektibong hangarin namin na mananaig sa resulta ng recount ang tunay na saloobin ng mga Pilipino, at ‘yan ay binoto nila si Leni Robredo para Bise Presidente,” said Senator Benigno “Bam” Aquino IV in a statement.

(Our hope is that the recount result upholds the Filipinos’ true aspirations, which is their vote for Leni Robredo as vice president.)

Aquino also said the recount process should be honest and in order, and both sides should respect whatever the outcome would be.

Senator Francis Pangilinan, meanwhile, said the recount should finally settle questions about the May 2016 elections. He noted that doubts cast over the results of the election almost two years ago inevitably affect the integrity of the country’s electoral system.

Pangilinan stressed it is important to boost the voters’ trust and confidence in the country’s electoral process especially that the midterm elections would be held in a year’s time.

“Napakalaki ng tungkuling kinakaharap natin, lalo na para sa ating mga lider tulad ni Vice President Robredo. Nililihis tayo ng recount sa pagtatrabaho para sa kapakanan ng mga Pilipino,” Pangilinan said.

(We are facing a huge responsibility, especially for leaders like Vice President Robredo. We are being diverted from doing our jobs for the benefit of the Filipino.)

Former Quezon Rep. Erin Tañada, now Liberal Party vice president for external affairs, on the other hand, believed the recount was allegedly part of the Marcoses’ continuing “desperate attempt” to rewrite history.

“Inumpisahan nila sa paglibing sa isang diktador sa Libingan ng mga Bayani. Ngayon, gusto naman nilang bumalik sa kapangyarihan para baguhin ang kasaysayan na bangungot ng martial law ni Marcos,” Tañada said.

(They started in the burial of a dictator in the Heroes’ Cemetery. Now they want to go back into power to rewrite the history of Marcos’ martial law.)

The Supreme Court, sitting as the PET, started on Monday the manual recount of votes for the electoral protest filed by former Senator Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. against Robredo.

READ: Vote recount in Marcos poll protest vs Robredo begins

The recount covered 5,418 precincts in three provinces — Camarines Sur, Iloilo, and Negros Oriental, which were selected by Marcos.   /kga