(Eagle News) – Malacanang commended Vice-President Leni Robredo’s camp for “expediting” the canvassing of votes for president on Tuesday, May 24, after her legal counsel stood up to express the stand that they would not interpose any objections nor delay the ongoing canvassing of votes.
In a statement, the Palace said this pronouncement from Robredo’s camp was a “positive development.”
“The decision of the camp of Vice President Ma. Leonor “Leni” Robredo to expedite the canvassing of votes for President is a positive development,” the statement from the Office of the Presidential Spokesperson said.
“As we earlier articulated, let us respect the outcome of the election and give chance to the winning candidates to fulfill their campaign platform,” it added.
-Robredo lawyer says camp won’t interpose objections on canvassing of votes-
On Tuesday afternoon, Robredo’s legal counsel, noted election lawyer Romulo Macalintal, said that the Vice-President had already made her position clear that she is calling on her supporters to respect the decision of the majority.
Macalintal, in his short manifestation during the canvassing of votes, cited in toto Robredo’s pronouncement in Filipino during her thanksgiving event for her supporters on May 13 where she made an appeal for them to accept the results of the elections.
(See related story: https://www.eaglenews.ph/accept-respect-decision-of-the-majority-robredo-tells-supporters-during-her-thanksgiving-event/)
“She said we need to accept the majority’s decision,” he said.
“So your honors, consistent with such pronouncement 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 waived their appearance in the ongoing national canvass of votes, so as not to cause any delay in the canvassing. Both houses of Congress – the Senate and the House of Representatives — convened as the National Board of Canvassers in a joint session on Tuesday, May 24.
Both the Senate panel chair, senator Miguel Zubiri, and House panel chair, Leyte Rep. Martin Romualdez, said this pronouncement from Robredo’s lawyer would lead to unifying the country at this crucial time.
Presumptive president Ferdinand Marcos Jr’s lawyer, Vic Rodriguez, also welcomed the move and thanked Vice-President Robredo for her “graciousness” and “patriotism.”
Marcos Jr., based on the Commission on Elections’ transparency server, has won the May 9, 2022 presidential elections by a huge over 16 million vote margin over closest rival Robredo. Marcos Jr., got more than 31.1 million votes while Robredo got 14.8 million votes.
Because the lawyer of his main rival had interposed no objections and said that they have no intention of delaying the national canvass, Zubiri said the canvassing could be finished by Wednesday, May 25, and Marcos Jr., could afterwards be proclaimed as the 17th president of the Philippines.
(Eagle News Service)