Marcos to Robredo: Stop discrediting media reports

FILE: The camp of former senator Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. on Friday said that Vice President Leni Robredo should stop discrediting members of the media on their reports on the Supreme Court’s (SC) recount of votes for the 2016 vice presidential elections. (PNA Photo)

MANILA — The camp of former senator Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. on Friday said that Vice President Leni Robredo should stop discrediting members of the media on their reports on the Supreme Court’s (SC) recount of votes for the 2016 vice presidential elections.

“Not satisfied in casting aspersions meant to undermine the integrity of the Tribunal and of the ongoing manual recount, Robredo is at it again, this time attacking and discrediting members of the press and dragging Senator Marcos in her desperate attempt to dilute all negative news affecting her in the election protest,” Marcos spokesperson, lawyer Vic Rodriguez, said.

Robredo earlier called out several news agencies for reporting that she lost some 20,000 votes in the recount, citing unofficial sources. She also hinted that the Marcos camp is behind the “huge PR stunt”.

In a series of tweets, Robredo called out several news reports with quoting an unnamed insider who said that her lead over Marcos narrowed to some 240,000.

“We find it ironic and lamentable that Mrs. Robredo attacked the media on World Press Freedom Day. If her votes have indeed been substantially reduced, it is not because of BBM but of evidence of her cheating that have come out,” Rodriguez said.

According to reports that cited unnamed sources, Robredo was losing votes after the revisor committee — the three-member committee tasked to conduct the recount — applied the tribunal’s 50-percent threshold in determining the validity of a vote.

The news stories all cited unnamed sources within the SC sitting as the Presidential Electoral Tribunal (PET).

The PET, however, has not yet issued any resolution or update on the recount process, nor has it confirmed that there has been evidence of electoral fraud since the revision began on April 2.

Rodriguez told Robredo to comply with the gag order to both parties issued by the SC regarding the ongoing recount.

“At this moment, it would be best if she just follow our lead in observing silence, shut her mouth for lack of sensible matter to say and accord utmost respect to members of the media and the Tribunal’s resolution on sub judice,” Rodriguez said.

For his part, Robredo lawyer, Romulo Macalintal, belied reports that the Vice President’s votes have been reduced by some 20,000 votes.

“There is no such official finding made by the Presidential Electoral Tribunal and any such data or information is a mere product of political propaganda by Robredo’s detractors,” Macalintal said in a statement Friday.

Macalintal said that “correct percentage threshold to be applied in appreciating the shading of the votes for candidates, which issue is still pending before the PET.”

“We assure Robredo’s supporters and the entire Filipino people that the official ruling of the PET will eventually sustain Robredo’s victory and will expose the falsity and self-serving propaganda peddled by her detractors,” he said.

The PET has yet to determine when the recount would be finished.

Marcos filed the protest on June 29, 2016, claiming that the camp of Robredo cheated in the automated polls in May that year.

In his protest, Marcos contested the results from 132,446 precincts in 39,221 clusters, covering 27 provinces and cities.

Robredo won the vice presidential race in the May 2016 polls with 14,418,817 votes or 263,473 more than Marcos’ 14,155,344 votes.