SC resets preliminary conference in VP poll protest to July 11 

The Supreme Court (SC) has rescheduled the preliminary conference on the poll protest involving Vice President Leni Robredo and former Senator Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr.

During Tuesday's en banc session, the justices moved the preliminary conference to July 11 from June 21.

"This is without prejudice to tribunal's resolution of all pending incidents," the SC Public Information Office said.

During the preliminary conference, the parties are expected to discuss the issues to be resolved, the list of witnesses, the evidence to be presented, as well as the schedule of hearings and the revision of the ballots.

The SC directed the camps of Robredo and Marcos to submit preliminary conference briefs to the court and furnish parties a copy of the same at least five days before the date of the conference.

In a statement, Marcos' lawyer, Vic Rodriguez, said the resetting of the preliminary conference was "very unfortunate."

"We find it very unfortunate that the SC acting as PET have moved the much awaited preliminary conference of Sen. Marcos election protest," Rodriguez said.

"Every day of delay benefits the authentic occupant of the office discharging fake public service based on pretentious program of governance whose real objective is to oust President Duterte no less," he added.

Marcos earlier asked the PET to assign three hearing officers who will handle the three main issues in his election protest in a bid to hasten the proceedings.

He also urged the tribunal to order the decryption and printing of ballot images from the clustered precincts of the 30 contested provinces subject of his poll protest.

Marcos lost to Robredo by just 263,473 votes in the May 2016 election, making it the closest vice presidential contest since democracy was restored in 1986. —with Rose-An Jessica Dioquino/ALG, GMA News