The Philippine Supreme Court announced on February 16 that it has dismissed the electoral protest filed by former senator Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. against Vice President Leni Robredo.
Supreme Court spokesperson lawyer Brian Keith Hosaka said the court “unanimously dismissed the electoral protest” filed by Marcos.
He said out of the 15 justices who were present during the session “seven members fully concurred in the dismissal while eight justices concurred in the results.”
In October 2019, the Supreme Court said Robredo’s lead grew by around 15,000 votes after a recount of ballots from the 5,415 clustered precincts in the provinces of Camarines Sur, Iloilo, and Negros Oriental.
Sought for comment, Marcos spokesman lawyer Vic Rodriguez said “we shall issue our statement on the matter as soon as we have established the facts based on official document or pronouncement coming from the [Supreme Court].”
The decision concluded more than four years of litigation marked by controversial attempts to make the lead justices inhibit from the case. The case lead has changed, from Associate Justice Benjamin Caguioa to Associate Justice Marvic Leonen.
Leonen, whom Marcos had also moved to inhibit, remained case lead until the dismissal on Tuesday. He is facing an impeachment complaint at the House of Representatives, endorsed by Marcos’ cousin, Ilocos Norte Representative Angelo Marcos Barba.
