Marcos asks SC to dismiss Robredo's counter-protest

THE camp of former senator Ferdinand "Bong Bong" Marcos Jr. has asked the Supreme Court to dismiss the counter-protest filed by Vice President Maria Leonor "Leni" Robredo for her failure to pay the first tranche of the P15.7 million protest fee required by the high court.

In a resolution dated March 21, the high court, acting as Presidential Electoral Tribunal (PET), ordered both Marcos and Robredo to pay a total of P81.46 million for their electoral protests.

Last Monday, Marcos deposited his first payment with the high tribunal amounting to P36.23 million, while Robredo did not pay the first installment of P8 million before the April 14 deadline. Instead, the Vice President filed a motion for the deferment of her payment.

Robredo's move has prompted Marcos' camp to seek for the "immediate dismissal" of the Vice President's counter-protest.

"In view of the failure on the part of the protestee/ counter-protestant to pay for the first tranche of the cash deposit for her counter-protest within the deadline set by the honorable tribunal, protestant Marcos is now constrained to move for the immediate dismissal of the counter protest in accordance with Rule 34 of the 2010 Rules of the Presidential Electoral Tribunal," Marcos' motion filed with the SC on Thursday stated.

After the first payment, both parties are required to pay the remaining amount not later than July 14. The PET ordered Marcos to pay P36.23 million second payment, while it required Robredo to pay P7.639 million.

The money will serve as payment for the retrieval of the contested vote results in 132,446 precincts in the country by the PET.

In a motion, Marcos' camp slammed an earlier plea of Robredo for the high court to defer the payment of her protest fee.

"Robredo's intention to further delay the proceedings in this case is evident from the arguments raised in her last submission," the motion read.

"Protestant Marcos finds it quite ironic that Robredo would ask for the deferment of the payment of her cash deposit even though she had alreay expressed her conformity and willingness to pay the same in her manifestation with urgent ex-parte omnibus motion," it added.

Marcos in his motion reiterated his earlier plea to have his case set for preliminary conference.

Marcos, a losing 2016 vice presidential candidate, has filed poll protest against Robredo on June 29 last year amid claims that the camp of Robredo cheated in the polls.

Marcos wants the PET to annul the election results in Lanao del Sur, Basilan and Maguindanao and to nullify the proclamation of Robredo as Vice President. (SunStar Philippines)

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