Former Sen. Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. can file a motion to reconsider the Presidential Electoral Tribunal’s (PET) ruling which denied his election protest and, effectively, affirmed the victory of Vice President Ma. Leonor “Leni” Robredo in the 2016 vice presidential election.
“Of course, he (Marcos) can do that (filing of a motion for reconsideration), that’s one of his remedies,” Chief Justice Diosdado M. Peralta said.
Last Tuesday, February 16, the PET – composed of all justices of the Supreme Court (SC) – dismissed unanimously Marcos’ 2016 election protest against Robredo.
The SC, in an announcement, said seven justices voted on the dismissal of the protest while eight justices voted in the result – meaning only on the dismissal and not necessarily on the reason or reasons that brought about the dismissal.
The announcement also stated that Marcos’ protest was junked in its entirety and that the counter-protest of Robredo was also dismissed.
Marcos’ lawyer had earlier said he was waiting for an official copy of the decision or resolution on the dismissal of the protest to gauge the proper legal remedies they would take.
Interviewed in Tarlac City after the conferment on him of a Doctor of Laws, honoris causa (for the sake of honor) by the Tarlac State University on Friday, February 19, Peralta confirmed that a copy of the PET’s decision has not been released.
“The decision is not yet released because we’re waiting for others to write, explain their vote, because it is in the result, and the effect is that those who voted in the result should explain their vote because that’s the rules,” Peralta said.
He also clarified that “all issues were tackled” during the SC’s deliberation on Marcos' protest and counter-protest filed by Robredo.