Robredo counsel, Atty. Macalintal, interposes no objections; cites VP Leni’s statement of “need to accept the majority’s decision”
(Eagle News) – “This is the real count, the official canvassing body for the President and Vice-President of the Philippines.”
With this, the Philippine Congress in joint session, convening as the National Board of Canvassers (NBOC), officially started the canvass of votes for president and vice-president in the May 9, 2022 elections.
Zubiri, who chairs the senate panel of the National Board of Canvassers, said that he is confident that the results of the national canvass will also reflect the results of the Commission on Election’s “transparency server.”
And this is that presumptive president Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr., has overwhelmingly won the May 9, 2022 presidential elections.
At the start of the canvassing, the legal counsel of Vice-President Leni Robredo, Atty. Romulo Macalintal, also stood up to say for the record that their camp has no objections whatsoever with the canvass of votes so as not to delay the proccedings.
Macalintal cited the statement previously made by Robredo that the public, especially her supporters, “need to accept the majority’s decision.”
(See related story: https://www.eaglenews.ph/accept-respect-decision-of-the-majority-robredo-tells-supporters-during-her-thanksgiving-event/)
“So you honors, consistent with such pronoucements by Vice President Leni Robredo, so as not to delay the proceedings of this board, we would like to make it of record our continuing manifestation that we interpose no objection to the inclusion in the canvass of all the certificates of canvass for president from the various provincial and city boards of canvassers found by this honorable board to be authentic and duly executed in accordance with section 20 of Republic Act 7166,” he said.
Macalintal also respectfully waived their appearance in the canvass of votes.
Lawyer Vic Rodriguez, counsel of presumptive president Marcos, then stood to thank Macalintal and Vice-President Robredo for her “patriotism” in her “express recognition” of the integrity of the election results.
“We join in the manifestation of my distinguished colleague, and one of the leading election law practitioner, Attorney Romulo Macalintal, and likewise, we would like to recognize the patriotism exhibited by Vice President Leni Robredo for expressly recognizing the integrity and the result of the recently concluded general election,” Rodriguez said.
-Isko Moreno’s counsel also interposes no objections-
Presidential candidate Isko Moreno Domagoso’s counsel likewise stood up to express their camp’s recognition of the integrity of the election results.
House majority floor leader Leyte Rep. Martin Romualdez then noted the graciousness of Vice-President Robredo in recognizing the integrity of the election results, and the “sportsmanlike conduct” of her counsel.
“Indeed the theme of the Uniteam begins to pervade in the country. The healing has begun. Let us unite as a nation for and by the Filipino people,” he said.
-Zubiri: “Let the healing begin”-
Senator Zubiri thanked the various counsels of the other presidential candidates who interposed no objection to the ongoing canvass of votes, as well as the integrity of the elections in “a period where we need to heal the country and unite the people.”
“At least now we can let the healing begin. And we can set aside politics,” he said.
Congress hopes to finish the canvassing of votes for the presidential and vice-presidential elections by Wednesday afternoon, May 25, at the earliest.
Based on the Comelec’s transparency server, Marcos Jr., won the 2022 presidential elections by a landslide, getting over 31.1 million votes, while Robredo got 14.8 million votes.
Marcos thus won with a margin of over 16 million votes.
(Eagle News Service)
