Protesta ni Legarda vs De Castro ibinasura ng PET

Ibinasura ng Presidential Electoral Tribunal (PET) nitong Biyernes ang election protest na inihain ni Senador Loren Legarda laban kay Vice President Noli de Castro tungkol sa halalan noong 2004 dahil sa kakulangan ng “legal and factual basis." Ayon sa 20-pahinang resolusyon na nilagdaan ni Senior Justice Leonardo A. Quisumbing, ang hukom na nakatalaga sa PET: “The pilot-tested revision of ballots or re-tabulation of the certificates of canvass would not affect the winning margin of [De Castro] in the final canvass of the returns, in addition to the ground of abandonment or withdrawal by reason of [Legarda’s] candidacy for, election and assumption of the office Senator of the Philippines." Para sa PET, tila iniwan na ni Legarda ang kanyang protesta nang tumakbo itong muli sa Senado noong halalan ng May 2007. Inihayag pa ng korte na ginamit nito ang rekomendasyon ni retired Supreme Court Justice Bernardo P. Pardo na: “the pilot-tested revision of ballots or re-tabulation of the certificates of canvass would not affect the winning margin of the protestee in the final canvass of the returns, in addition to the ground of abandonment or withdrawal by reason of protestant’s candidacy for, election and assumption of the office Senator of the Philippines." Bukod dito, nauna nang ibinasura ng korte ang ikalawang aspeto ng petisyon kung saan hinihiling na repasuhin ang balota sa 124,404 presinto noong Hunyo 5, 2007 alinsunod sa Rule 33 ng PET kung saan nabigong magdeposito ng P3.9 milyon si Legarda upang ipagpatuloy ang pagrerepaso ng mga balota. “The entire protest is now deemed dismissed and terminated," pahayag ng PET. "[Legarda] had not adequately and convincingly rebutted the presumption that as public documents, the Congress-retrieved [election return] ER copies, used for the proclamation of [De Castro] by the [National Board of Canvassers], are authentic and duly executed in the regular course of official business," idinagdag nito. Ikinatuwa ni De Castro ang balita ng pagkakabasura ng reklamo ni Legarda. “This is a triumph of truth – the truth that I won fair and square," pahayag ni De Castro. “I thank the Supreme Court for echoing the true voice of the people," idinagdag nito. Ayon kay De Castro panatag siya noong simula pa lamang na nakuha niya ang mandato mula sa mga tao bilang vice president. - Mark J. Ubalde, GMANews.TV