PET orders Comelec to comment on Marcos bid to annul 2016 results in 3 Mindanao provinces

September 30, 2020

The Supreme Court, acting as the Presidential Electoral Tribunal, has required the Commission on Elections and Office of the Solicitor General to comment on issues related to the third cause of action of the election protest filed by former Senator Ferdinand  Marcos Jr. against the proclamation of his rival Maria Leonor Robredo as vice president in the 2016 national elections.

Its action came after 11 months despite the tribunal’s rejection on October 15, 2019 of the  ponencia of Associate Justice Benjamin Caguioa, which recommended the dismissal of the entire election protest, after Robredo’s lead increased with 14,436,337 votes following a revision and appreciation of the ballots in the pilot provinces, over  Marcos who obtained 14,157,771 votes.

After the revision and appreciation of votes, the lead of Robredo increased from 263,473 to 278,566.

“In order to arrive at a full, fair and efficient resolution, the Supreme Court acting unanimously (on) September 29, 2020 in the election protest filed by . . . Marcos against . . . Robredo, ordered that copies of the Tribunal’s resolution dated 15 October 2019 together with copies of the separate memoranda submitted by both parties on the said resolution dated 15 October 2019, be furnished to the Commission on Elections and the Office of the Solicitor General,” said the tribunal through the SC Public Information Office.

The PET directed the Comelec to file its comment within 20 days on certain issues related to Marcos’ third cause of action, particularly the annulment of the results of the elections held in Lanao del Sur, Basilan and Maguindanao in 2016 due to alleged terrorism, intimidation, voter harassment and pre-shading of ballots.

The PET also required the Comelec, as well as the Office of the Solicitor General (OSG), to comment on whether the tribunal has the power to declare the annulment of elections without special elections; a failure of elections, and order the conduct of special elections. DMS