A LAWYER for vice presidential front runner Camarines Sur Rep. Leni Robredo has rejected Sen. Bongbong Marcos' claims that he was cheated solely because he got zero votes on several precincts nationwide.
Atty. Romulo Macalintal, a noted election lawyer, said that Robredo also registered zero votes from 18 clustered precincts in the country.
“All the 6,828 or 100 percent votes for Marcos and zero votes for Robredo, et al,” said Macalintal in an interview at the 2016 Elections Headquarters at the Philippine International Convention Center (PICC) in Pasay City.
The clustered precincts where all the votes went for Marcos are in Barangay Langil, Basilan (563); San Praxedes, Cagayan (63); New Era, Dasmarinas City (672); New Era, Dasmarinas City (714); Macupit Elementary School, Ilocos Norte (364); Pias-Gaang, Pias, Ilocos Norte (105); Apatut-Lubong, Pinili, Ilocos Norte (189); Puzol Elementary School, Pinili, Ilocos Norte (154); Sitio Nagtenga, Ilocos Norte (327); Bannawag, Anganadan, Isabela (306); Bagong Buhay, Palayan City, Nueva Ecija (325); Barangay Maligaya, Nueva Ecija (449); Barangay Maligaya, Nueva Ecija (346); Tagumpay Compound, San Jose, Rizal (576); Bilaan, Talipao, Sulu (420); Bilaan, Talipao, Sulu (394); Pantao, Talipao, Sulu (204); and New Era Elementary School, Tandang Sora, Quezon City (657).
“These only shows that having zero votes, as claimed by Sen. Marcos, is very much possible,” he added.
Macalintal said that aside from Robredo, the other vice presidential candidates Senators Chiz Escudero, Alan Peter Cayetano, and Gringo Honasan have not received votes in the said precincts.
Last week, Marcos said they have received reports that he did not get any votes in some places such as Lanao del Sur, Cotabato City, and other provinces in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao.
Marcos is closely behind Robredo in the vice presidential race based on the partial, unofficial results from the Comelec Transparency Server.
The votes for president and vice president will be counted by Congress, sitting as the National Board of Canvassers (NBoC), which is expected to convene on May 25. (FP/Sunnex)