THE Supreme Court (SC) has extended the deadline for the payment of Vice President Maria Leonor "Leni" Robredo's poll protest fee balance in relation to the counter-protest she filed against her rival former senator Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr.
Romulo Macalintal, Robredo's lawyer, on Tuesday said the High Court granted the request of Robredo's camp for additional time to settle the second tranche of payment amounting to P7.43 million.
Macalintal said the SC sitting as the Presidential Electoral Tribunal (PET) directed Robredo to put into writing their justification for the request.
Last May 2, Robredo deposited the first P8 million before the SC for the retrieval of the ballots in 31,278 precincts nationwide.
Macalintal said the extension should be until the PET has completed the revision of ballots in the first three provinces indicated in Marcos' protest, namely: Camarines Sur, Iloilo, and Negros Oriental.
Marcos has completed the P66.02-million protest fee required by the PET on Monday, a day before the conduct of the preliminary conference on his election protest.
The PET has earlier given both camps until July 14 to complete their payment for the retrieval of ballots in their contested precincts, but only Marcos complied ahead of time.
According to Marcos' lawyer George Garcia, Marcos was able to pay his protest fee allegedly through the help of some of his friends and supporters and the sale of his condominium unit. (SunStar Philippines)