Ms. Ronadale Zapata
83321148/8334507

For speedy rendition of electoral protest

DE CASTRO WELCOMES LATEST RESOLUTION OF PET

01 December 2005

“The Vice President is pleased that the Presidential Electoral Tribunal has finally set the start of the retabulation and revision process on December 12,” said Atty. Armando Marcelo of the Andres Marcelo Padernal Guerrero & Paras (AMPGP) Law Offices, counsel for the Vice President.

The Supreme Court, acting as the Presidential Electoral Tribunal (PET), issued its latest resolution last November 22 setting the start of retabulation and revision of ballots on former Senator Loren Legarda’s election protest both on December 12, 2005.

Asked about the VP’s reaction to the latest resolution, Atty. Marcelo said, “The Vice President has always maintained that the opening of the ballots will remove all doubts that he won the election fairly.”

Marcelo also pointed out that the setting would have been much earlier had Legarda acceded to the earlier motion to dismiss some parts of the protest filed by De Castro. “We moved to dismiss Lanao Del Norte and Surigao el Sur, but she (Legarda) vehemently opposed. And then she withdrew the same provinces anyway. We cold have saved a lot of time.”

Whether or not the retabulation and revision will push through on December 12 is another matter, according to De Castro’s lawyers. As pointed out by Marcelo, the resolution of the PET also directed Legarda to pay an additional cash deposit of P3,882,000.00. “The ball is now in Legarda’s hands,” said Marcelo. “We hope that she will immediately pay the cash deposit so that there will be no reason for any further delay because of her alleged financial difficulties.”

Ref. VPMEDIA 05-186