Justice Caguioa remains in charge of Marcos poll protest case

MANILA, Philippines — Associate Justice Alfredo Benjamin Caguioa is still in charge of the electoral case filed by former Sen. Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. against Vice President Leni Robredo.

This amid news reports citing insider sources that Caguioa, in an internal memorandum, asked Acting Chief Justice Antonio Carpio to allow him to excuse himself from the case after Marcos requested the Supreme Court for his recusal.

The SC, which sits as the Presidential Electoral Tribunal, clarified in a statement Monday that “[t]here has been no change in the management of PET Case No. 0005 as the request was denied unanimously.” Caguioa, however, was not explicitly named in the statement.

SC spokesperson Theodore Te also addressed the news reports and stressed that such a document “is both internal and privileged and which could only have been obtained or accessed unofficially.”

Te also issued a stern warning to those leaking confidential documents.

“In the past, the Court has dealt severely with individuals and court personnel who have leaked privileged and confidential matters as well as pending matters,” he added.

The SC spokesperson then asked the members of the press “to be more circumspect and discerning in reporting unofficial and pending matters that have yet to be acted upon as they may mislead the public.”

Marcos, on August 6, sought the recusal of Caguioa from his electoral case. He accused Caguioa, who insider sources said is the member-in-charge of the poll protest, of being a “partial and biased judge.”

The camp of Robredo has dismissed Marcos’ plea for Caguioa’s inhibition as a delaying tactic to suit his “political agenda.”

Duterte wants Marcos to succeed him

President Rodrigo Duterte had recently floated the idea of him stepping down from his post. He, however, said that he is wary of handing over the reins of leadership to Robredo.

According to presidential spokesperson Harry Roque, Duterte might fulfill his promise of stepping down from the post if Marcos wins his electoral protest.

Romulo Macalintal, Robredo’s lawyer, shrugged off the Palace’s latest pronouncement, saying that “Mr. Marcos will never win his electoral protest.”

The PET has yet to resolve Robredo’s plea to apply the 25-percent threshold in determining the validity of a vote.

The ballot recount on Marco’s pilot provinces has entered its fourth month in August. — Kristine Joy Patag