Robredo should agree with recount if she has nothing to hide, Marcos tells Supreme Court

QUEZON City, Philippines (Eagle News) — Former Senator Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. asked the Supreme Court to junk Vice President Leni Robredo’s motion to dismiss the re-count of the votes for the 2016 vice-presidential election.

“Contrary to the assertions of protestee Robredo, a review of the election protest filed in this case would easily reveal that the same contains a detailed narration or specification of the important and substantial facts, which consists of the acts and omissions complained of by the protestant showing the electoral frauds, anomalies and irregularities in the protested precincts,” Marcos said in his 25-page comment/opposition.

According to Marcos through his legal counsel Atty. George Garcia, if Robredo has nothing to hide, she should allow the recount to proceed.

“More than nine months have already gone by and all protestee Robredo has done is to file one dilatory motion after another. If protestee Robredo has nothing to hide, then she should do everything in her power to encourage – rather than hinder – this election protest to move forward,” Marcos said in opposition to Robredo’s motion.

“The electoral frauds, anomalies and irregularities, which were rampant in the provinces of Lanao Del Sur, Maguindanao and Basilan during the last elections, include terrorism, force, violence, threats and intimidation in the protested clustered precincts thereat,” he added in his comment to the high court.

On February 16 this year, the high court, acting as Presidential Electoral Tribunal, had junked Robredo’s earlier motion to dismiss the electoral protest case filed by Marcos against her, saying Marcos’ petition was sufficient in form and substance. This paved the way for a recount of the votes for the vice-presidential elections.

But Robredo refused to allow the recount and filed a motion, seeking to stop the PET from proceeding with the vote recount.

Eagle News Service