Robredo’s revisor in ‘Pansol outing’ with PET personnel – Marcos
The Presidential Electoral Tribunal (PET) has been asked to investigate an out-of-town party of its personnel and a revisor of Vice President Maria Leonor “Leni” Robredo that may “compromise” the results of the on-going manual recount and revision of ballots in the contested 2016 vice presidential election.
In a manifestation of grave concern filed by the lawyers of former Sen. Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr., the PET – composed of all Supreme Court (SC) justices – was told that 24 revisors and officers of the tribunal with a revisor of Robredo had an overnight outing at a resort in Pansol, Calamba last June 22. The motion stated: “Protestant Marcos received information that on Friday, 22 June 2018, there was an ‘outing’ at ‘3J’s Resort’ located at Lot 11, Barangay Pansol, Calamba City, Laguna which was attended by a party revisor for the protestee, Maria Leonor “Leni Daang Matuwid” G. Robredo (“Robredo”), together with twenty-four (24) Head Revisors, Alternate Head Revisor, Appraiser, Ballot Box Custodians/ Handlers and Chief Tabulator of this Honorable Tribunal.”
Led by George Garcia, the lawyers told the PET that they learned about the overnight party “through the Facebook account of PET Head Revisor Maria Katrina (Che-Che) Rosales when she posted the photos of the ‘Pansol outing’ on Sunday, June 24, 2018.”
“Among the photos posted were those of the 24 PET personnel together with Osmundo “Ritchie” Abuyuan — who is one of the revisors of Robredo in the ongoing election protest of Marcos. Also seen partying with the group were Reycard Castro (PET Chief Tabulator), Hazel Magsipoc, Mohammad Disomangcop, Jennifer Pablo, Michaer Rebosura, Christine Enriquez, Noriesel Lalamunan, Irene Canada, Princess Bonetivo, Rosales, Hannah Pauline Medrano (all PET Head Revisors), Julius Tumalad (PET Alternate Head Revisor), Ellaine Francisco (PET Appraiser) Keno Moraleda (PET Head Ballot Custodian) as well as Martin Santos, Edwin Roque, Bryan Puntero, Elijah Mikaelson, Mel Darien Buensalido and Rogene Agudelo (all PET Ballot Box Custodians),” Garcia said.
But Garcia said that last July 2, in an “apparent move to rectify her mistake of publicly posting the incriminating photos of their ‘Pansol outing’,” Rosales deleted the photos from her Facebook account.
“Fraternizing with the party revisor for the protestee (Robredo) is obviously prohibited by this Honorable Tribunal since this act is proscribed not only by the Code of Conduct for Court Personnel but also by the Canon of Judicial Ethics,” he said.
He pointed out that the “Pansol outing” would imply that Robredo’s camp had already “infiltrated and curried favor with these PET personnel in order to manipulate, influence and control the revision proceedings and maneuver the results in her favor.”
“Protestant Marcos cannot help but wonder if the ongoing judicial recount and revision proceedings have been compromised given that the same is presided by the very same PET personnel who appear to be in cahoots with the protestee’s camp,” he added.
At the same time, Garcia said “the role of the head revisors are crucial in the ongoing revision of votes because they are the ones who preside over their respective revision committees and control the conduct of the judicial recounting of ballots.
“In fact, these head revisors and the alternate head revisors are in charge of initially determining whether the ballots found inside the ballots are valid, rejected or stray. They are likewise mandated to determine if the protested ballots comply with the 50 per cent shading threshold as originally decided by the PET,” he said.
“Consequently, it is imperative for this Honorable Tribunal to immediately investigate this incident and to impose the appropriate sanctions on these PET personnel, the protestee and her party revisor,” he stressed.