The camp of Vice President Leni Robredo is taking the latest Presidential Electoral Tribunal (PET) order as a welcome development for the immediate resolution of her election case.
(OVP / Facebook / FILE PHOTO / MANILA BULLETIN)
The Supreme Court (SC), acting as the PET, gave the Commission on Elections (Comelec) 20 days to submit its comment on the third cause of action of former Senator Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr.
Marcos is seeking to nullify the votes in three Mindanao provinces—Lanao del Sur, Basilan, and Mindanao.
The SC also required the Office of the Solicitor General (OSG) to weigh in on the legality of annulment of elections without special elections; a failure of elections and order the conduct of special elections.
In a statement released by Robredo’s lawyer Ma. Bernadette Sardillo, she said this will “help fast-track the resolution of the election protest.”
The Robredo camp expressed confidence anew the high court will uphold her 2016 victory.
“Dalawang beses nang nanalo sa bilang si VP Leni. Matagal nang tapos ang boksing. Matagal nang talo si Marcos. Tapusin na natin ito,” Sardillo said.
Robredo defeated Marcos by a margin of 263,473 votes in the 2016 vice presidential race.
The recount and revision of ballots from Camarines Sur, Negros Oriental, and Iloilo—the three pilot provinces Marcos had chosen—increased Robredo’s lead to 278,566 votes.
“We fully believe that the High Tribunal will uphold VP Robredo’s victory as seen in the 2016 results and in the recount of ballots,” Sardillo said.
”The rules in different electoral tribunals mandate the immediate dismissal of any election protest after finding no substantial recovery,” she added.
Robredo’s lawyer said they will comply with the PET order and wait for the comments of the Comelec and OSG.
The comments are required to be submitted within 20 days, after which Marcos and Robredo can submit their replies within 15 days.