‘Marcos using process to spread lies’

VP Leni confident in poll protest outcome, wants speedy resolution to end all doubts

As the retrieval of ballots begins in her home province, Vice President Leni Robredo expressed confidence that the protest filed against her by Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. will only affirm her victory in the May 2016 polls. VP Leni reiterated that she wants a speedy resolution to the case, in order to prevent the defeated vice presidential candidate from using the process to spread lies. “Nasa best interest natin na matapos na siya sa lalong madaling panahon para hindi nagkakaroon ng avenue si Bongbong Marcos na patuloy na papaniwalain tayo sa mga bagay na hindi naman totoo. Iyong nais natin sa lalong madaling panahon matapos na ito, makapagdesisyon na ang Supreme Court, kasi sigurado tayo na iyong lalabas sa mga balota na titingnan, iyon din iyong lumabas noong eleksyon kasi wala namang dayaan na nangyari,” she said. The Vice President is in Camarines Sur for a series of engagements, which coincide with the start of the retrieval of ballot boxes in her home province—one of the three pilot provinces chosen by Marcos for the initial recount of his protest. She said she is “confident” that there wasn’t any cheating in Camarines Sur during the last elections. She noted that she is leaving the case in the hands of her lawyers, who are on-site to “make sure that nothing untoward” will happen during the retrieval. Asked to comment on Marcos’ lack of representatives there, VP Leni said it is his obligation to carefully watch the process—as her camp is doing—since he is the one who asked for it. “Asahan na kung lahat na gimik gagawin [niya]. Kung napapansin natin, iyong binubuo naman niya na kuwento over the last weeks [ay] biased iyong PET,” she said. “Kung talagang interesado siyang lumabas iyong katotohanan, bakit wala siya dito, na siya iyong nag-request nito in the first place?” “Kaya nandito iyong mga abogado natin kasi gusto nating i-ensure na iyong ni-request niyang proseso magiging malinis. At obligasyon niyang magpadala ng representatives niya dito kasi, gaya ng sabi ko, siya iyong may kagustuhan nito, hindi tayo,” she added. The retrieval process for a total of 1,816 ballot boxes in Camarines Sur will last until Friday, January 26.