Charles Teves
On Monday, former senator no longer wants Supreme Court Associate Justice Marvic Leonen to be involved in his poll protest against incumbent vice president Leni Robredo.
“If truth be told, the scathing pronouncements of Associate Justice Leonen in a number of landmark cases, his previous employment history as well as the manner in which he has handled the election protest thus far will prove that he will not be a fair and impartial ponente (author) in the instant electoral protest,” Marcos stated in his manifestation which was submitted to the Presidential Electoral Tribunal on November 9.
Replacing Associate Justice Alfredo Benjamin Caguioa as the ponente of the case in October 2019, Leonen emerged as the justice-in-charge of Marcos’ election protest against Robredo.
Marcos then accused Leonen of having a grudge against his family.
“It is clear that we’ll never get justice if Leonen is around because of his hatred towards me and my family. This is evidenced by his past decisions where he unequivocally condemned me and my family. It’s obvious he’s doing everything in his power to suppress the real story behind the 2016 Vice-Presidential elections, disenfranchising millions of Filipinos who wanted nothing but credible elections,” Marcos added.
Leonen’s well-documented biases against the Marcos family were also included in the 22-page motion.
One case talked about former President Ferdinand Marcos’s burial in the Libingan ng mga Bayani.
Leonen in his dissenting opinion said, “…not only was he [Marcos] the President that presided over those violations, but that he and his spouse, relatives, associates, cronies, and subordinates were active participants… there has been no sufficient public apology, the full acknowledgment of facts, or any clear acceptance of responsibility on the part of Ferdinand E. Marcos or his Heirs.” Marcos wrote in the motion.
During a recent online press conference, Marcos pointed out how Leonen executed a delaying tactic when he sat on his case for about a year.
“We have to do something dahil very clear that Justice Leonen has prejudged this case. Justice Leonen is hostile to me, to my family, to our entire group,” he said.
Just last week, in line with the PET’s order, the Commission on Elections (Comelec) and the Office of the Solicitor General (OSG) passed their comments regarding Marcos’ protest.
It was agreed that the PET has the authority to declare the annulment of the votes in Basilan, Lanao del Sur, and Maguindanao which are part of Marcos’s Third Cause of Action.
“The fact that both the Comelec and the OSG agreed with my position is a clear sign that the protest should move forward. However, Justice Leonen’s bias and deliberate procrastination continue to drag the case,” Marcos said.
Marcos’ goal right now is preventing his protest from being deemed moot and academic since the filing of certificates of candidacy for the 2022 elections will commence next year.
Netizens are just fed up with Marcos’ complaints about losing to Robredo in the 2016 vice presidential race.
Agot Isidro had a short message for the former senator.
“Just give it up Mr. Marcos” she tweeted.
JUST. GIVE. IT. UP. MR. MARCOS. #MarcosTalunan https://t.co/e9OgJvkCQ8
— Agot Isidro (@agot_isidro) November 9, 2020
Actress and singer Chai Fonacier likened Marcos to a “spoiled brat with a tantrum.”
https://twitter.com/rabidcatbanshee/status/1325728094838091776?s=20
Much like Fonacier, Robredo’s lawyers also think that at this point Marcos is just “acting like a spoiled brat who cries when he doesn’t get his candy.”
Atty. Beng Sardillo and Atty. Emil Marañon weren’t surprised with Marcos’s recent actions.
“We are not surprised. This is another trademark move of Mr. Marcos. If he doesn’t get what he wants, he moves to attack the integrity of an institution or a person to force them to give in to his desires,” the lawyers said in a statement.
“May we remind Mr. Marcos that it’s already 2020. This is no longer the period of his father’s reign of terror where they can do anything they want,” they said.
“Stop acting like a spoiled brat who cries when he doesn’t get his candy,” they added.
Marcos also needs to “face reality” because “Vice President Leni Robredo won. Twice,” said the lawyers.
He lost to Robredo by only 263,000 votes.
“Pagod na kami na hanggang ngayon, pagkatapos manalo sa eleksyon at sa recount, patuloy pa rin ang panggugulo at pagsisinungaling ni G. Marcos,” Robredo’s camp said.
It’s not only Robredo’s lawyers who think Marcos should just accept defeat and move on.
https://twitter.com/hoyakosibribri/status/1325753986096377857?s=20
Marcos comes from a wealthy family, and he himself has all the money in the world, which makes netizens question why he wants to be vice president so bad.
@bongbongmarcos tama na, ang dami niyo naman na pera, makakatulong pa din naman kayo sa mamamayan, para saan pa ba ang posisyon? Para kanino?
— AmanImani101 (@AmaniImani2) November 9, 2020
Marcos shows no signs of slowing down and is persistent throughout the entire process.
TAMA NA, SOBRA NA DI KA BA NAPAPAGOD? @bongbongmarcos
— Frederick Mandocdoc (@ratedfrederick) November 9, 2020
https://twitter.com/_JazziEvanz/status/1325748094105907200?s=20
TANG INA BONGBONG MARCOS TUMIGIL KA NA
— Serafina #StanBKPP #WatchITSAY (@franklybrutal) November 9, 2020
Some argue that the whole thing has become a joke.
Sino ang totoong Vice President? Si Bongbong Marcos o si Leni Robredo. Abangan
— Pikapika (@Pikapik66465947) November 9, 2020
si Bongbong Marcos yung friend mong hirap na hirap magmove on
— ʀʟ. (@lowwrain_) November 9, 2020
https://twitter.com/rpsyfdlg/status/1325743979871178753?s=20
