MANILA, Philippines – Vice President Leni Robredo’s lawyer Romulo Macalintal on Monday, January 30, dismissed as a publicity stunt the claim of former senator Ferdinand Marcos Jr that electoral fraud could be proven based on SD cards.

The Marcos camp has insisted that data found in SD cards from supposedly unused vote-counting machines would show that there was cheating in the May 2016 vice presidential polls.

But Macalintal said Marcos’ move to file a motion before the Supreme Court (SC), sitting as the Presidential Electoral Tribunal (PET), proves the fuss over the SD cards is just a stunt.

Last November 26, Marcos’ lawyer Vic Rodriguez filed a motion asking the PET to order a preliminary conference on the case, which would mark the start of the hearings on the complaint against Robredo.

But Macalintal argued that by doing this, the camp is already “abandoning their claim that the 13 SD cards contained evidence of ‘massive electoral fraud’ that favored Robredo.”  

“As a matter of fact, Marcos’ motion for preliminary conference never mentioned these 13 SD cards precisely because they are not even part of his election protest,” Robredo’s lawyer also said in his statement.

Macalintal repeated his challenge that Marcos and Rodriguez must sign a written agreement that they would drop the electoral protest once proven that the alleged data in the SD cards do not reflect poll fraud.

“They are answerable to the PET and the Comelec as their statements are clearly offensive and a direct insult to the competence and integrity of our electoral processes,” said Macalintal.

“These are not laughing matters but matters of grave concern that they must prove; otherwise they have no right to come to court for alleged vindication of Marcos’ rights.” (READ: Presidential Electoral Tribunal: What happens to a protest?)

He reminded the petitioners that he will be waiting for them in front of the Manila Cathedral in Intramuros at 10 am on Tuesday, January 31, to sign the agreement.

Rodriguez earlier said they will not respond to Macalintal’s dare, also calling it a publicity stunt. – Rappler.com