PET denies motion in Leni’s protest

MANILA, Philippines — The Supreme Court – sitting as the Presidential Electoral Tribunal (PET) – has junked the petition filed by the supporters of Vice President Leni Robredo asking the high court to contribute to her counter-electoral protest against former senator Ferdinand Marcos Jr.

In a decision dated Nov. 7, the PET denied with finality the motion for reconsideration filed by the Piso Para Kay Leni movement.

Robredo’s supporters have raised more than P7.5 million through an online fundraising campaign launched last July.

“We plan to turn over the money to an Angat Buhay partner foundation, which will manage the money for us,” Museo Pambata founder Cristina Lim-Yuson, one of the proponents of the initiative, said.

Angat Buhay is Robredo’s anti-poverty program.

“The money given by thousands of VP Leni supporters will now promote the welfare of our poor countrymen as this was the alternative plan from the onset in the event that our petition would not be granted by PET,” Yuson added.

Angat Buhay head Georgina Hernandez welcomed the decision of the proponents to donate the money collected by the group that was intended to partially fund the fee of Robredo’s counter-protest against Marcos. 

“It will go a long way in helping poor communities as part of VP Leni’s advocacy to uplift the lives of Filipinos living in the fringes of society,” Hernandez said.

The Office of the Vice President, she said, would identify a high-impact project or two that will benefit from the P7.4-million donation. 

Under Republic Act 6713 or the Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards for Public Officials and Employees, “public officials and employees are barred from soliciting or accepting, directly or indirectly, any gift from non-relatives even during Christmas or family celebrations, or in connection with any operation being regulated by, or any transaction which may be affected by, the functions of their office, if the value of the gift is neither nominal nor insignificant.”

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

The PET has granted the request of Robredo’s lawyers for an extension of her deadline to pay the remaining P7.43 million required to process her counter-protest against Marcos.

Robredo has paid the initial deposit of P8 million last May 2.

Marcos, on the other hand, has completed the payment of the P66.02 million protest fee.