Ateneo law students urge OSG: Uphold 25% shade limit

MANILA, Philippines — Law students from the Ateneo de Manila University yesterday urged the Office of the Solicitor General (OSG) to uphold the 25-percent ballot shading threshold that was implemented in the 2016 elections in the ongoing manual recount for the vice presidential race.

In a two-page letter, the law students asked Solicitor General Jose Calida to stand by the 25-percent threshold used by the Commission on Elections (Comelec) in the 2016 polls.

“As students of the law, we are imploring your good office as counsel for the Comelec to prevent the disenfranchisement of votes and to present the rule as it should be applied,” the students said.

They said the protests filed before the Senate Electoral Tribunal and the House of Representatives Electoral Tribunal all use the 25-percent threshold.

The Supreme Court, sitting as Presidential Electoral Tribunal (PET), ordered the Comelec to comment on the motion for reconsideration filed by Vice President Leni Robredo regarding the threshold issue to be used in the manual recount.

As the counsel for the Comelec, the OSG will write the comment in behalf of the poll body.

The PET earlier allowed the use of the 50-percent threshold in the recount, rejecting the petition filed by Robredo’s camp for the use of the 25-percent threshold.

The 50-percent threshold was used in the 2010 national and local elections.

In its April 10 decision, the PET said it is not aware of any Comelec resolution that states the applicability of a 25 percent threshold.