Chief Justice Lucas Bersamin on Thursday said the Supreme Court, acting as the Presidential Electoral Tribunal, had not decided yet on the election protest filed by former Senator Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr.’s against Vice President Leni Robredo challenging the proclamation of his rival as the duly elected vice president in 2016 polls.
“There is no definite voting yet or anything that happened in that particular case,” Bersamin said, in an interview at the sidelines of a summit on the dangerous drugs law at the Manila Hotel.
Bersamin debunked a report made by a columnist in Philippine Star who cited sources that Marcos was likely to win in the initial stage of the case through an 8-6 vote by PET members.
The newspaper report came after Associate Justice Alfredo Benjamin Caguioa, the justice-in-charge of the Marcos poll protest, submitted his report before the PET two weeks ago.
Caguioa’s report was based on the recount or revision of votes in the three provinces chosen by Marcos, which was recently completed.
The results of the recount in Camarines Sur, Iloilo, and Negros Oriental, will determine whether or not Marcos’ protest will proceed to his remaining contested clustered voting precincts.
Atty. Brian Hosaka, the SC’s spokesman, announced last Tuesday that the PET decided to defer taking action on the Marcos-Robredo case during its en banc session last week. A source said deliberations will continue next week.
