PET denies with finality Robredo supporters’ bid to shoulder balance of counter-protest fee

The Supreme Court (SC), sitting as the Presidential Electoral Tribunal (PET), has upheld its July 11 decision junking the bid of Vice President Leni Robredo's supporters  to pay the balance of her counter-protest fee.

The tribunal denied the petition of Proponents of the Piso Para Kay Leni movement with finality on November 7, saying the "latter have neither legal interest in the matter subject of the instant protest nor will be adversely affected by its resolution." 

Robredo, whose victory in the May 2016 election is being challenged by former Senator Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. on fraud allegations, has yet to pay the P7.439 million out of the P15.4 million required of her by the PET.

She had asked for more time to raise the amount which the tribunal granted.

Proponents of the Piso Para Kay Leni movement then petitioned the PET for them to pay the balance, raising P7,520,679.04 from some 25,000 supporters over the past few months.

Following the PET's decision, the group said they are now planning the turnover of the fund to Angat Buhay priority projects, the flagship anti-poverty program of the Office of the Vice President (OVP).

The group met with Robredo at her office in Quezon City on Wednesday where they planned on how to properly turn over what they collected from their initiative.

"The money given by thousands of VP Leni supporters will now promote the welfare of our poor countrymen as this was the alternative plan from the onset in the event that our petition would not be granted by PET," said Museo Pambata founder Cristina Lim-Yuson, one of the founders of the initiative.

The group said the OVP will identify a high-impact project or two that will benefit from the fund drive. — RSJ, GMA News