Leni supporters raise P4 M for counter-protest

MANILA, Philippines - In less than a month, supporters of Vice President Leni Robredo were able to raise P4 million to help finance her counter-protest against former senator Ferdinand Marcos Jr.

Marcos is contesting Robredo’s victory in the May 2016 elections.

The “Piso para sa Laban ni Leni,” an online fundraising campaign, was launched by Robredo’s women supporters last July 4.

The group is composed of Museo Pambata founder Cristina Lim-Yuson, former Pag-IBIG Fund chief executive officer Zorayda Amelia Alonzo, former human rights commissioner Paulynn Sicam, singer Celeste Legaspi-Gallardo, Ateneo de Manila University press director Karina Bolasco and former social welfare secretary Dinky Soliman.

The women filed a petition before the Supreme Court, sitting as Presidential Electoral Tribunal (PET), asking the high court to allow them to contribute to the payment of Robredo’s remaining cash deposit amounting to P7.44 million.

“Most donations came in denominations of around P100 or less. The P4 million raised in such a short time shows that the bayanihan spirit of Filipinos is still strong today, especially in support of their duly elected Vice President,” the group said.

The PET, however, has yet to rule on their petition.

Republic Act 3019 or the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act also prohibits public officials and employees from accepting gifts.

In case the PET junks their appeal, Bolasco said the money would be donated to Robredo’s Angat Buhay program.

Meanwhile, the lawyers of Robredo accused Marcos of circumventing SC rules on pilot areas for his protest.

In a comment to Marcos’ motion to direct the collection of ballot boxes and other election documents and paraphernalia for the pilot protest filed last Thursday, Romulo Macalintal and Maria Bernadette Sardillo said Marcos’ motion is “deceiving.”

The former senator earlier named the provinces of Camarines Sur, Iloilo and Negros Oriental as his pilot areas for the manual recount and judicial revision.

However, in his motion dated July 10, Marcos is asking the PET to direct the collection in six provinces, namely Camarines Sur, Iloilo, Negros Oriental, Lanao del Sur, Basilan and Maguindanao.

“The three pilot provinces designated by Marcos do not include any of the provinces in ARMM (Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao),” Macalintal stated.

He said the motion is a scheme to circumvent Rule 65 of the 2010 Rules of the PET, which requires protestant to give not more than three pilot provinces.

Macalintal has repeatedly denounced Marcos for going on a “fishing expedition.”

Macalintal also reiterated his call for the PET to resolve issues raised by Marcos on the integrity and legitimacy of the automated elections system before proceeding with the recount.

“The system-wide vulnerability will have a sweeping effect on a national scale, particularly on the legitimacy of 18,082 elected officials, even the President, who won under the same automated elections,” he said.