Court sanctions Robredo, Marcos camps

The Presidential Electoral Tribunal (PET) imposed a R50,000 fine each on Vice President Ma. Leonor “Leni” Robredo and former Sen. Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. for discussing in public their election protests now pending with the tribunal.

Acting Chief Justice Antonio T. Carpio, who is also concurrent PET chairman, confirmed the imposition of the fine.

A copy of the PET resolution was not immediately available.

Last February, the PET directed both Robredo and Marcos to observe the sub-judice rule in their protest and counter-protest.

With the gag order, both camps were restricted from making comments or disclosures on the proceedings of their pending disputes lest they be sanctioned by PET.

In April, the PET directed Robredo and Marcos to explain why they should not be cited in contempt for violating the resolutions on the observance of the sub-judice rule.

The tribunal noted that despite the resolutions, several news reports have shown that the parties, their counsels and/or representatives, have continued to disclose sensitive information regarding the revision process to the public, in clear violation of the aforementioned resolutions.

The manual recount and revision of votes in the protest filed by Marcos against Robredo started last April.

The process covers three provinces identified by Marcos in his protest.

PET has finished its manual recount and revision of ballots in Camarines Sur.

Undergoing the process are the ballots in Iloilo and later in Negros Oriental.

Results of the recount and revisision of ballots in the three provinces will enable the PET to decide whether it will pursue with the same process in the other cities and provinces named by Marcos in his protest.

Robredo has filed her counter-protest. Both cases are consolidated into one case by the PET.