Robredo camp accepts Marcos challenge to withdraw all motions before PET

MANILA, Philippines — The camp of Vice President Leni Robredo on Tuesday accepted the challenge of former Sen. Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos to sign a joint motion withdrawing any and all pending motions and incidents before the Presidential Electoral Tribunal.

Robredo’s acceptance of the challenge came after Marcos signed a joint motion informing everyone that he and Robredo would withdraw all their motions and incidents that would “unduly delay or hamper” the proceedings.

Romulo Macalintal, the lead counsel of Robredo, invited the losing vice presidential candidate and his lawyer tomorrow morning to sign a joint motion to withdraw all court manifestations which the camp of the former senator claimed to be delaying the recount of ballots in three pilot provinces identified by Marcos in his protest.

“We accept the challenge of Mr. Marcos and his lawyer to sign a joint motion to withdraw any and all pending motions and incidents at the Presidential Electoral Tribunal which may cause the delay of the recount of ballots from the pilot provinces of Camarines Sur, Iloilo and Negros Oriental,” Macalintal said in a statement.

“I am inviting Mr. Marcos and his lawyer tomorrow at 9.00 AM to sign a joint motion,” he added.

READ: Marcos camp: We have evidence of 2016 polls anomaly

Based on the latest media advisory from the camp of Robredo, Macalintal would wait for Marcos and his lawyers at Shakey’s Manila at 10 a.m. tomorrow, February 7.

Vic Rodriguez said they would send a member of their staff to serve Robredo’s camp its copy tomorrow.

“I’ve done everything possible to speed up this election protest. At this point, the only thing left is for Mrs. Robredo to sign the document. We are waiting,” Marcos said.

The son of the late dictator, Marcos on Sunday challenged Robredo to withdraw her motion before the electoral tribunal, so the two parties could proceed to the recount of contested ballots.

Rodriguez, a lawyer for Marcos, invited the vice president to sign a joint motion withdrawing all their outstanding motions.

Macalintal initially labeled the challenge as a “bluff” and insisted that the vice president did not have any pending motion before the PET.

He added that the invitation to sign the joint petition was a sign that Marcos lacked confidence about the would-be results of the recount.

In explaining their decision to accept the challenge, Macalintal said, “This is to confirm that we are not causing the delay in the recount of ballots. It is Mr. Marcos’ raising of baseless allegations and irrelevant issues that is causing the delay in the recount.”

Last week, Marcos presented evidence that would supposedly show fraud during the 2016 national and local elections.

He presented copies of ballot images from Camarines Sur and Negros Oriental that would supposedly prove massive fraud during the 2016 polls.

Robredo’s camp dismissed the supposed evidence as “highly ridiculous if not outright frivolous” and urged the PET and the Commission on Elections to investigate the source of the images.

Marcos is contesting the results in more than 39,000 clustered precincts while Robredo’s counter-protest is questioning the tallies from 8,000 clustered polling centers.

If Marcos wins in his electoral protest, this will mean a massive step in efforts by his family to rehabilitate and regain the presidential palace 32 years after their patriarch was ousted from power.

READ: Robredo lawyer urges Marcos camp to avoid stalling election protest