Robredo least surprised Calida chose not to represent Comelec
Published Jul 10, 2018 06:54 pm
By Raymund Antonio
Vice President Leni Robredo was the least surprised when Solicitor General Jose Calida decided not to represent the Commission on Elections (Comelec) as its lawyer in the vice presidential electoral protest.
Vice President Leni Robredo (OVP / MANILA BULLETIN)
After all, she knew that Calida is a staunch supporter of former Senator Ferdinand Marcos Jr.
“Alam nating lahat—alam ko, alam niyo—na si Calida ay hindi lang Marcos apologist, pero number one na Marcos supporter (All of us know – I know it, you know it – that Calida is not only a Marcos apologist, but he is the number one Marcos supporter),” Robredo said in a media briefing.
“Kahit hindi ako nagugulat na kakampihan niya si Marcos, parang hindi ako makapaniwala na iyong abogado sasalungat sa gustong sabihin ng kaniyang kliyente (Although I’m not surprised he will side with Marcos, I can’t believe that a lawyer will oppose his client.),” she added.
Robredo, who briefly served as housing chief in the Duterte administration, told reporters that Calida should have represented the Comelec since he is “not a party” to the election case.
“Iyong papel ng kanyang opisina bilang abogado ng Comelec. At dahil hindi naman hinihingi ang kanyang personal na pakiramdam tungkol sa bagay na ‘yan, sana nire-represent niya ‘yung interes ng kanyang kliyente (The role of his office is as lawyer of the Comelec. And because he was not being asked about his personal feelings on the matter, he should have just represented the interest of his client),” she said.
The Vice President commented about the issue a week after Calida filed a manifestation before the Supreme Court, which declared that his office is invoking its role as “People’s Tribune.”
Calida asked the SC, acting as the Presidential Electoral Tribunal, to file its own comment over Robredo’s petition that sought to consider the 25 percent shading threshold in the recount.
In his manifestation, he supported the 50 percent threshold set by PET, claiming that it should uphold its April 10 ruling since the tribunal “correctly ruled that it has ‘no basis to impose a 25 percent threshold in determining whether a vote is valid.’”
Meanwhile, Robredo hit Marcos for insinuating that something is anomalous in the “outing” attended by PET personnel and her revisor for the recount in a Laguna resort last month.
The Vice President said that Marcos was aware of the swimming party.
Her lead lawyer, Romulo Macalintal, claimed the other day Marcos even sent food to those who joined the outing because all revisors from both camps were invited.
“Ayaw ko na sanang patulan kasi propaganda.... Alam niya iyong totoo. At ang pakiusap ko, sana mahinto na iyong pagsisinungaling niya (I don’t want to dignify it because it is propaganda…He knows the truth. My plea is he should stop lying.),” said Robredo.
“Alam niya activity na iyon. Kung kami lang imbitado, iyon ang mali (He knows that activity. If we were the only ones invited, that’s wrong.),” the Vice President said.
Vice President Leni Robredo (OVP / MANILA BULLETIN)
After all, she knew that Calida is a staunch supporter of former Senator Ferdinand Marcos Jr.
“Alam nating lahat—alam ko, alam niyo—na si Calida ay hindi lang Marcos apologist, pero number one na Marcos supporter (All of us know – I know it, you know it – that Calida is not only a Marcos apologist, but he is the number one Marcos supporter),” Robredo said in a media briefing.
“Kahit hindi ako nagugulat na kakampihan niya si Marcos, parang hindi ako makapaniwala na iyong abogado sasalungat sa gustong sabihin ng kaniyang kliyente (Although I’m not surprised he will side with Marcos, I can’t believe that a lawyer will oppose his client.),” she added.
Robredo, who briefly served as housing chief in the Duterte administration, told reporters that Calida should have represented the Comelec since he is “not a party” to the election case.
“Iyong papel ng kanyang opisina bilang abogado ng Comelec. At dahil hindi naman hinihingi ang kanyang personal na pakiramdam tungkol sa bagay na ‘yan, sana nire-represent niya ‘yung interes ng kanyang kliyente (The role of his office is as lawyer of the Comelec. And because he was not being asked about his personal feelings on the matter, he should have just represented the interest of his client),” she said.
The Vice President commented about the issue a week after Calida filed a manifestation before the Supreme Court, which declared that his office is invoking its role as “People’s Tribune.”
Calida asked the SC, acting as the Presidential Electoral Tribunal, to file its own comment over Robredo’s petition that sought to consider the 25 percent shading threshold in the recount.
In his manifestation, he supported the 50 percent threshold set by PET, claiming that it should uphold its April 10 ruling since the tribunal “correctly ruled that it has ‘no basis to impose a 25 percent threshold in determining whether a vote is valid.’”
Meanwhile, Robredo hit Marcos for insinuating that something is anomalous in the “outing” attended by PET personnel and her revisor for the recount in a Laguna resort last month.
The Vice President said that Marcos was aware of the swimming party.
Her lead lawyer, Romulo Macalintal, claimed the other day Marcos even sent food to those who joined the outing because all revisors from both camps were invited.
“Ayaw ko na sanang patulan kasi propaganda.... Alam niya iyong totoo. At ang pakiusap ko, sana mahinto na iyong pagsisinungaling niya (I don’t want to dignify it because it is propaganda…He knows the truth. My plea is he should stop lying.),” said Robredo.
“Alam niya activity na iyon. Kung kami lang imbitado, iyon ang mali (He knows that activity. If we were the only ones invited, that’s wrong.),” the Vice President said.