Marcos tells Robredo: Better observe silence during recount

MANILA, Philippines — Vice President Leni Robredo should be mindful of the Presidential Electoral Tribunal’s reminder against public statements on the ongoing recount process, the camp of former Sen. Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. said on Friday.

A day after Robredo called out several news agencies for reporting that she lost some 21,000 votes in the recount citing unofficial sources, Marcos said the vice president is using the press in a “desperate attempt to dilute all negative news after her election protest.”

“We find it ironic and lamentable that Robredo attacked the media on World Press Freedom Day. If her votes have indeed been substantially reduced, it is not because of [Marcos] but of evidence of her cheating that has come out,” Vic Rodriguez, Marcos’ spokesperson, said in a statement.

The PET, however, has not yet issued any resolution or update on the recount process, nor has it confirmed that there has been evidence of electoral fraud since the revision started a month ago.

READ: Robredo hints at Marcos hand in lost votes 'PR stunt'

Robredo, in a series of tweets on Thursday, called out several news agencies for quoting an unnamed insider who said that her lead over Marcos narrowed to some 242,000.

According to reports that cited unnamed sources, Robredo is losing votes after the revisor committee—the three-member committee tasked to conduct the recount—applied the tribunal’s 50-percent threshold in determining the validity of a vote.

Robredo has already appealed the said PET ruling.

Rodriguez said: “At this moment, it would be best if she just follow our lead in observing silence, shut her mouth for lack of sensible matter to say and accord utmost respect to members of the media and the Tribunal’s resolution on sub judice."

The two camps were sternly warned by the tribunal against making public statements on the recount procedure. They were told to submit their explanation why they should not be cited in contempt by the court for giving updates on the recount process that started on April 2.

'Robredo stated in motion that her votes are decreasing'

Meanwhile, the journalist initially singled out by Robredo said that he and other journalists covering the PET resorted to insiders due to the tribunal’s gag order.

Robredo on Thursday initially singled out Edu Punay, a journalist from The STAR, for reporting on the “fake news.” A few hours later, the vice president said that she has “learned that the fake news also came out in [Manila Bulletin, Standard, The Daily Tribune, PTV4, etc.”

Punay, in a statement posted on his Twitter account, said that he resorted to citing sources in his reports “due to the Tribunal’s gag order which I believe should not disallow the public from monitoring this very important process.”

Punay also pointed out that Robredo’s camp, through a motion she has earlier submitted to the tribunal, has stated that her votes “are being systematically decreased.”

In her motion for reconsideration, she cited vote counting at Barangay Laganac in Balatan, Camarines Sur where Robredo received 358 votes.

Upon the application of the 50 percent threshold, a physical recount of the ballots yielded 346 votes for the vice president. Votes for Marcos did not change in the tally.

RELATED: Marcos camp: Robredo should stop tainting PET's integrity

“[I]n simple terms, the votes for protestee Robredo was decreased by 12 votes while the votes for protestant Marcos was maintained,” the motion reads.

Punay said that he has been an advocate in fighting “fake news,” and stressed that he “remains committed to our duty of providing timely, relevant, fair and factual information to our readers in particular and the people in general.”