VP’s supporters continue drive to raise protest fee

Notwithstanding the legal setback, supporters of Vice President (VP) Leni Robredo have continued to extend financial assistance for her election protest filed by former Senator Ferdinand Marcos Jr.

The Piso Para sa Laban ni Leni movement disclosed on Tuesday that they are just short of 1400,000 to complete raising the 17.4 million needed by Robredo for her counter protest.

The group made the disclosure even as the Supreme Court, sitting as the Presidential Electoral Tribunal (PET), denied their petition to allow them to settle Robredo’s remaining balance for her protest fee.

They plan to file a motion for reconsideration, prompted by the PET decision, which they claimed “did not explain the basis for the denial.”

The group, comprised of awardees of the Ten Outstanding Women Foundation, said they were disappointed over the PET’s decision to reject their petition.

“Are the Supreme Court justices ignoring 25,000 Filipinos?” Museo Pambata founder Cristina Lim-Yuson, a leader of the Piso Para sa Laban ni Leni initiative, asked.

“Every peso is a contribution of the Filipino voter – a tricycle driver, OFW, housewife, laborer, artist, entrepreneur and industry leader, in protection of his/her vote,” former human rights commissioner Paulynn Sicam said in a statement.

Aside from the Sicam and Yuson, other prime movers of the fund-raising campaign include former Social Welfare Secretary Corazon Soliman, former PAG-IBIG Fund Chief Executive Officer Zorayda Amelia Alonzo, award-winning singer Celeste Legaspi-Gallardo, and Ateneo de Manila University Press director Karina Bolasco.