LAGUNA, Philippines – Despite criticism, impeachment threats, and an election case against her, Vice President Leni Robredo said she will ensure that former Senator Ferdinand Marcos Jr would not get the second highest position in the country.

“Walang sinabi iyong kakayahan [ko]…resources na pigilan siya…pero kahit hindi pantay iyong pinanggagalingan ay gagawin ko iyong lahat para siguraduhin na di siya makakabalik,” Robredo said in a forum on Friday, April 21, at the University of the Philippines in Los Baños.

(I don’t have as much capacity and resources [as he does] to block him. But even if our resources are not equal, I will ensure that he won’t be able to return to power.)

“I am pinning my hopes on people who have enough conviction, enough courage to fight,” she said.

Robredo made this remark as a response to a student’s question regarding the election case filed against her the son and namesake of the late dictator Ferdinand Marcos.

The Marcos scion has accused her and the Liberal Party (LP) of cheating their way to her victory.

Just last Monday, Marcos paid the first installment of the P66 million fee required by the Supreme Court (SC), sitting as the Presidential Electoral Tribunal (PET), for the transfer and recount of ballots.

Marcos said the P36 million he paid was pooled resources of friends and supporters.

Robredo said: “Nakakalungkot na marami pang kautangan sa bayan na hindi pa nababayaran, at iyong kautangan na iyon, iyon din ang ginagamit para makabalik sa kapangyarihan.” (It’s sad that they still owe the country money. And that money is what they are using to return to power.)

Robredo’s dues

But even after Marcos’ payment, the election case still won’t progress after the PET resolves the issues raised by the Robredo camp on the amount they also have to pay.

Robredo has been ordered to pay P15 million for the precincts she is questioning. She has failed to settle her dues, however, as her lawyers asked the PET to postpone her payment until the initial opening of ballots. Her legal team argued that this will prove if Marcos’ case is sufficient or not.

The Marcos camp has filed an omnibus motion before the High Court, asking to junk Robredo’s counter-protest on the basis of non-payment.

Robredo’s lawyer Romulo Macalintal said they will pay after the PET says they should as resolution to their motion. – Rappler.com