PET seeks Marcos’s action on his protest
THE PRESIDENTIAL Electoral Tribunal (PET) in a resolution dated Feb. 13 asked former senator Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. to serve notice as to whether “he intends to file a motion to withdraw all pending motions by his camp which may delay the PET’s recount proceedings.
Mr. Marcos, the leading rival of Vice-President Maria Leonor G. Robredo in the 2016 general elections, had filed a protest before the Supreme Court sitting as the PET challenging Ms. Robredo’s official victory in the vice-presidential race.
The PET said it has noted Ms. Robredo’s “motion to withdraw any and all pending motions which may delay recount proceedings.”
“Protestee (Ms. Robredo) states that there are no such pending motions which could or would delay the recount process. Nonetheless, protestee moves that if there are such motions in the records of the Tribunal, the same can be considered as duly abandoned or withdrawn,” the PET resolution read.
“Based on the records of this case, the Tribunal finds that there are no such pending motions from protestee,” the PET also said, adding:
“Accordingly, the Tribunal resolves to…require protestant (Mr. Marcos) to submit his comment thereon and inform the Tribunal if he intends to file a similar motion as that filed by protestee within ten days from notice hereof.”
The resolution also enjoined both camps from further commenting publicly on this case. Lawyers for both Mr. Marcos and Ms. Robredo said this is duly noted.
