MANILA, Philippines – Vice President Leni Robredo said she would be filing a motion for reconsideration with the Supreme Court (SC) after her camp and that of her rival Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr were fined for breaking the sub judice rule. 

Robredo announced her plan to file the motion for reconsideration with the SC, acting as the Presidential Electoral Tribunal (PET), in an interview with GBPI-TV11 in Zamboanga City on Friday, June 29.  

Still, the Vice President clarified they would still be paying the fine worth P50,000 imposed by THE PET upon both the Robredo and Marcos camps. 

“Magmo-motion for reconsideration, pero kami naman ay sumusunod naman sa orders ng PET. Pero ito, ano naman, confident tayo na in the end, malalaman sino talaga nanalo sa eleksiyon,” said Robredo. 

(We will file a motion for reconsideration, but we will comply with the PET’s order. But we’re confident that, in the end, we will know who truly won in the elections.)

On Tuesday, June 26, the PET unanimously voted to fine both the Robredo and Marcos camps P50,000 each over the sub judice rule in the ongoing electoral protest Marcos filed against Robredo.

The sub judice rule prohibits parties in a case and their lawyers from making comments and disclosures concerning ongoing judicial proceedings to avoid preempting the issue, influencing the court, or obstructing the administration of justice. 

But the Robredo and Marcos camps have not been observing this rule. Both politicians and their lawyers have called for press conferences and granted interviews in the past months and disclosed information about the ongoing election case. 

Just like her lead counsel Romulo Macalintal, however, Robredo said her legal team members were simply defending themselves against the “lies” of Marcos. 

“Iyong sa amin kapag may kasinungalingan na sinasabi, ang pakiramdam namin kailangan naming i-correct. Kasi kung hahayaan lang namin na iyong kasinungalingan iyong naririnig ng tao, talagang iyon iyong papaniwalaan,” said Robredo. 

(For us, if lies are being spread, they should be corrected. If we are going to let these false information be heard by the people, they would believe it.)

Meanwhile, Marcos’ lawyers George Garcia and Vic Rodriguez both said their camp will be complying with the P50,000 fine out of respect for the PET. They have not yet announced any plans to file a motion for reconsideration in protest of the fine. – Rappler.com