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
©
Copyright
2005
Office of the Vice President (OVP)
Management Information Services
Division (MISD). All rights reserved.
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