Robredo camp asks PET to set aside questionable ballots while resolving threshold issue

MANILA, Philippines — The camp of Vice President Leni Robredo on Friday urged the Supreme Court, sitting as the Presidential Electoral Tribunal, to segregate ballots whose ovals were shaded less than 50 percent but not lower than 25 percent.

Robredo, through her lawyers, is also asking the tribunal to immediately resolve its April 18, 2018 resolution asking the PET to reconsider its decision to use a 50-percent threshold in ascertaining vote validity.

According to Robredo, the PET should not to consider these ballots stray pending the resolution of her motion to use the 25-percent threshold in determining vote validity.

The vice president said that these ballots with threshold issues should be included in the physical count, but they should be segregated and marked.

"This way, pending the resolution of the Urgent Motion for Reconsideration, no unnecessary delay will ensue," Robredo said in her Urgent Ex-Parte Omnibus Motion filed on Thursday.

"Further, this would avoid the disenfranchisement of voters whose votes have been treated as stray with the application of the fifty percent threshold percentage," the motion further said.

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Robredo is currently facing an electoral protest filed by losing vice president candidate Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. who is alleging that the 2016 poll was rigged to favor the vice president, who was the previous administration's bet.

Marcos, a former senator and the son of the late strongman who committed massive corruption, human rights abuses and vote fraud during his 21-year presidency, has identified three pilot provinces for the recount. These are Camarines Sur, Iloilo and Negros Oriental.

The former senator needs to show a substantial recovery in votes in these areas for a wider recount to be conducted.

Robredo also urged the tribunal to rule on her April 18 motion asking the PET to use the 25-percent threshold after the Commission on Elections said that it applied the said level during the 2016 local and national elections.

"Protestee Robredo earnestly believes that the Honorable Tribunal now has all the facts necessary for it to resolve the Urgent Motion for Reconsideration," their filing read.

"The Honorable Tribunal is now fully appraised on the correct threshold percentage to be applied in the ongoing revision, recount and re-appreciation of ballots," it added.