SC allows Leni to get copies of ballot images

The Supreme Court, sitting as the Presidential Electoral Tribunal (PET), has allowed Vice President Leni Robredo to secure copies of the ballot images in connection with the recount being sought by former senator Ferdinand Marcos Jr. regarding the results of the May 2016 vice presidential race.

In a decision dated Nov. 7, the PET approved the urgent ex-parte motion filed by Robredo’s camp last Oct. 23.

“We welcome the PET’s decision because it will provide us with additional blanket of security to the votes received by VP Leni as they decrypt the contents of the SD cards,” said Romulo Macalintal, among Robredo’s legal counsels.

Robredo filed a motion asking the PET to furnish her soft copies of the ballot images and reports from the decrypted SD cards from the provinces of Camarines Sur, Iloilo and Negros Oriental, the three pilot provinces designated by Marcos for his election protest.

Macalintal stressed the soft copies will help both parties protect their rights and interests in the election protest.

Marcos earlier sought to prevent Robredo from having access to the decryption proceedings.

With the PET’s decision, Macalintal said the Robredo camp can now coordinate with the Commission on Elections (Comelec) on the procedure and supplies needed for the soft copies.

The Comelec is capable of providing soft copies to both parties, he said.

The PET earlier rejected Marcos’ appeal to allow the technical examination of voters’ records from Lanao del Sur, Maguindanao and Basilan for lack of merit.

Marcos wants to nullify the results from these three provinces allegedly because of the existence of fake voters.

Robredo defeated Marcos by just 263,473 votes in last year’s polls.