Decision time on Marcos electoral protest

Tony La Viña

With the impending release by the Supreme Court sitting as Presidential Electoral Tribunal of its ruling on vice presidential candidate Bongbong Marcos’ electoral protest against Vice President Leni Robredo for the 2016 national elections, the nation waits anxiously for the PET to do its constitutional duty.

Much has happened and been said since Marcos lodged the electoral protest three years ago. Vice President Robredo and political allies have been subject to relentless attacks to discredit the opposition, including the filing of sedition charges against them. On the other hand, the Robredo camp is said to be prematurely claiming victory even as the PET has yet to announce any action on the Caguioa report. As early as July, Robredo’s camp was asking for an early resolution of the election protest on the ground that “the result of the revision, recount and reappreciation of the ballots clearly confirm the victory of protestee Robredo.”

At this point of the protest, it is fitting to recall the resolution of the PET on August 27, 2017 which paved the way for the recount.

Read on…

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  2. angela

    JOZY ACOSTA-NISPEROS
    23 hrs · https://www.facebook.com/jozy.acosta/posts/10156844375028585

    Signs point to BBM’s electoral protest continuing, whether it be in the PET disregarding their own Rule 65 and proceeding with the recount/revision/recovery in his 27 other nominated provinces/cities or in the PET granting his motion for a technical examination in three ARMM provinces (which, technically, they shouldn’t because that would again be in violation of Rule 65).

    But hmmm, maybe that’s not so bad.

    That means he will be restrained from filing for candidacy in the 2022 polls – the deadline of which will be two short years from now, in October 2021 – lest he be deemed as abandoning his protest.

    Continuing the recount in the other provinces is going to take more than two years. As for the technical examination, here’s what is involved (taken from Rappler): “(T)he comparison of signatures and thumbprints of voters in the Voter’s Registration Record (VRR) as against the Election Day Computerized Voters List (EDCVL).” Not an easy feat.

    The one drawback I can see to not resolving this protest straight away is that Leni will always have this cloud over her head until the end of her (LEGITIMATE!) term, and opponents might use this to plant a seed of doubt if/when she runs for president.

    And of course, Bongbong will use the claim of being cheated as a rallying cry for his own presidential run. That is if he decides to eat humble pie and abandon his protest so he can run for an elected position. Which he probably will. Kelan ba nagka-prinsipyo mga Marcoses.

    September 30, 2019 at 1:43 pm
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