Duterte camp urges Marcos to convince Miriam to concede to fast-track canvass

The camp of incoming president Rodrigo Duterte on Thursday urged Sen. Miriam Defensor Santiago to show “statesmanship” and concede defeat in the presidential race so that the mayor could be proclaimed as soon as possible.

Lawyer Salvador Panelo, Duterte’s spokesperson and his chief counsel in the ongoing vote canvassing, however, addressed his proposal to Santiago’s running mate, Sen. Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. 

“We’re not really urging [her]. We’re telling the camp of Bongbong Marcos — if he wants a separate canvassing, then he should persuade [his] running mate to concede para lang matapos na,” he said in a press conference ahead of the start of the second day of canvassing by Congress, sitting as the National Board of Canvassers (NBOC).

"It would be an act of statesmanship on Miriam's part pag pumayag siya," the lawyer added.

Panelo said Santiago’s concession would allow the NBOC to proclaim Duterte immediately as President-elect since Congress would no longer need to proceed with the canvassing of votes for president.

“Ang feeling namin, pag si Sen. Miriam Defensor Santiago would concede, madadali ang proklamasyon ni President-elect sapagkat di na kailangang magkaroon ng canvassing. There would no longer be any need for a canvass kung yung apat [na presidential candidates] sabi nila, ‘Ito (si Duterte) na ang panalo,’” he said.

While Panelo acknowledged the NBOC’s mandate to canvass votes for president and vice president, he said the process would be shortened if Duterte’s rivals concede and waive their right to appear or be represented in the canvassing.

“So kung mag-concede si Miriam, wala na tayong problema sa proclamation ng Presidente and yung problema nung dalawa— si Bongbong Marcos at Leni Robredo— yun na lang ang matitira sa canvassing. Sila na lang ang maglaban,” he said.

Marcos and Robredo are locked in a tight race for the vice presidency, with the administration candidate leading the senator by a margin of 295,492 votes based on the NBOC’s official tally as of 9:26 p.m. Wednesday.

Although Duterte’s victory in the presidential race is unquestionable, Panelo said they are concerned about prolonging the waiting period before he is proclaimed. He noted that Marcos’ camp has been requesting the deferment of the canvassing of certain certificates of canvass (COCs) over certain issues they have with the documents.

Senator Aquilino Pimentel III, one of the presiding officers of the NBOC, has said that they intend to proclaim the new President and Vice President together once the canvassing of votes is finished.

Asked if he feels Duterte’s camp is being held hostage by the arduous canvassing for vice president, Panelo said: “In a way, yes.”

He said they are making the NBOC’s job easier by asking defeated presidential candidates to waive their right to the canvass so the panel could focus on the canvassing for vice president.

“We’re making the job of the congressional committee eas[ier] para matapos na. Easier for them pag di ka pumayag na matigil na yung [canvassing] sa presidential [race], eh nakatali ka doon sa [canvassing] for vice presidential [candidates], walang mapo-proclaim,” he said. — APG/KBK, GMA News