The Supreme Court, sitting as the Presidential Electoral Tribunal (PET), has unanimously set aside the 50-percent shading threshold that defeated vice presidential candidate Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. sought to apply in the recount of ballots in his electoral protest against Vice President Leni Robredo. The PET resolution, however, did not explicitly side with Robredo’s plea to recognize ballots with ovals shaded 25 percent as valid votes. Not establishedThe 2018 PET Revisor’s Guide previously set a 50-percent shading threshold as guidance in the identification of challenged votes. Robredo assailed the stricter 50-percent threshold supported by Marcos, fearing this would disenfranchise voters who shaded their votes less thoroughly. Her lead counsel, Romulo Macalintal, said the PET resolution was “a very significant legal and political victory on our part.”Read Next

Source: Philippine Daily Inquirer September 26, 2018 21:35 UTC