MANILA, Philippines – The lawyers of Vice President Leni Robredo are asking the Supreme Court (SC) to release CCTV footage to prove her rival Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr knew about the Laguna outing of Robredo’s revisor and other SC staff.

Robredo’s legal counsels Romulo Macalintal and Bernadette Sardillo filed on Wednesday, July 11, their counter-manifestation to Marcos’ plea for the SC, acting as the Presidential Electoral Tribunal (PET), to probe the swimming party.

The counter-manifestation was filed by Robredo’s legal consultant Emil Marañon III on behalf of Macalintal and Sardillo.

“Inasmuch as we empathize with protestant Marcos in losing the vice presidential race, he should be more candid to the Honorable Tribunal. The Honorable Tribunal deserves no less than the truth from protestant Marcos,” said Robredo’s lawyers. 

“Thus, if only to confirm that the revisors of protestant Marcos were not only aware, but even donated snacks to the outing, the CCTV footage must be released. This way, the name of protestee Robredo and her revisor will be cleared from the unjust and malicious accusation made by protestant Marcos in his manifestation,” they added.

In their counter-manifestation, the Robredo camp said Marcos’ revisors were also invited by the PET staff to join the outing at 3Js Resort in Calamba, Laguna, held on June 22. Aside from the court employees, only Robredo’s revisor Osmundo Abuyuan went to Laguna.

Macalintal and Sardillo said the Marcos camp, through their revisor Roderick Miranda, even sent some snacks for the people who would be joining the outing.

The lawyers said Miranda allegedly left the bag of snacks on the SC’s 4th floor, which the CCTV footage of the High Court can prove.

The Robredo camp also said the PET already conducted an investigation into the matter, “where some of the personalities involved were already meted with penalties.”

Still, they said Marcos sought a probe into the matter more than two weeks after it happened. Marcos had claimed that the ongoing recount for the electoral protest he filed against Robredo has already been compromised.

“Worse, protestant Marcos feigns ignorance when, by the actions of his own revisor, they were not only fully aware but acquiesced to the said outing by giving snacks,” said Robredo’s lawyers.

“Protestant Marcos conveniently omitted these facts in order to suit his narrative that he was a victim during the 09 May 2016 national and local elections,” they added.

Asked to confirm if one of their revisors did send food for the outing, Marcos’ lawyer George Garcia said they will “wait for the result of the investigation.”

Read a full copy of the Robredo camp’s counter-manifestation below: 

– Rappler.com