Witnesses for Marcos Jr.’s Election Protest are Fake as Proclaimed by Robredo’s Party

16 Aug Witnesses for Marcos Jr.’s Election Protest are Fake as Proclaimed by Robredo’s Party

Last June 29, 2016, Wednesday, defeated candidate Ferdinand Marcos Jr. filed an election protest against Vice President-elect Leni Robredo in the Supreme Court. However, Robredo accused Marcos Jr. of exploiting false witnesses in his election protest.

Last August 15, Monday, Robredo asked the Supreme Court to reject the protest for its “utter lack of merit.”

Fake signatures were identified in the attached affidavits of the protest, according to Robredo’s legal team. Bernadette Sardillo, Robredo’s lawyer stated, “May mga testigo po na humarap sa amin na nagsasabi na hindi totoo ang pirma nila sa salaysay na ‘kinabit ni Ginoong Marcos sa kanyang protesta at karamihan po, actually lahat po ng kinabit niyang salaysay sa kanyang protesta ay pro forma, o minsan fill in the blanks lang po. Minsan may tumatawag sa kanila na sinasabihan sila na may benefits sila sa kung saang ahensya sa gobyerno para makuha lang ang ID.”

Marcos’ protest should be rejected, said Sardillo, since his request for recounting of votes in thousands of precincts are based on the statements of these false witnesses.

The election protest is handled by the Supreme Court sitting as the Presidential Electoral Tribunal (PET).

The Supreme Court, sitting as the Presidential Electoral Tribunal (PET), is handling the election protest.

Lawyer Vic Rodriguez, Marcos’ spokesperson filed a manifestation letter to call for action on the supposed harassment of their witnesses as reported by the Liberal Party (LP) – Robredo’s party into the Supreme Court.

However, Rodriguez’s accusation was denied by Sardillo. Volunteers of the party went to several provinces to verify and prove that Marcos’ witnesses are fake. As she spoke, “Actually kaya po namin nalaman na hindi totoo ‘yung mga salaysay na nakadikit sa protesta niya kasi, of course, may volunteers po hanggang ngayon. So pumunta sila sa probinsiya at nakipag-usap, nagtanong lang naman kung, ‘Totoo ba ‘to na sabi mo may dayaan?’ Doon po lumabas ang kuwento na hindi totoo. Siyempre, kapag ikaw inakusahan ng isang pandaraya, gusto mo rin malaman kung totoo ang nangyari.”

Sardillo was asked how many false witnesses were discovered and answered that they have no estimate. But she insisted that Marcos has no basis to pursue the recount.

“Paano magkakaroon ng basehan kung ‘yung testigong nagsasabing may dayaan ay sinasabing hindi totoo iyon?” Sardillo ended.