Ex-VP Binay files poll protest vs Makati Rep. Peña

MANILA, Philippines — Former Vice President Jejomar Binay filed an electoral protest to challenge the win of Rep. Romulo “Kid” Peña Jr. (Makati City) in the Congress.

In a statement, the defeated Makati representative said his lawyers filed on Tuesday a verified election protest against Peña before the House of Representative Electoral Tribunal.

Former VP Binay files electoral protest against Peña. | @iambertramirez pic.twitter.com/2pBKMsnjwn

— The Philippine Star (@PhilippineStar) July 16, 2019

“Binay’s lawyers sought the nullification of Peña’s proclamation as a member of the House of Representative in the first district of Makati by the Makati City Board of Canvassers last May 14,” the statement read.

Binay’s camp asked the tribunal to “order the conduct of manual recount of ballots cast and other election documents in all of the 235 clustered precincts.”

The former vice president lost to Peña by around 6,000 votes. The former vice president garnered 65,229 votes. Peña got 71,035 votes.

This is the Binay patriarch’s second election loss after failing to win the presidential seat in 2016.

READ: Jejomar Binay fails to make political comeback

Last May 20, days after the midterm polls, Binay said that they will reveal “facts, data and evidence that would show why the election result does not reflect the true will of the voters” in Makati City’s First District “at the proper time.”

He stressed that surveys by independent and reputable firms also showed that he would win against Peña who was then former acting mayor of Makati. — Kristine Joy Patag with reports from The STAR/Robertzon Ramirez