THE Supreme Court, acting as the Presidential Electoral Tribunal, has permitted the Commission on Elections to dispose election materials pending the resolution of the poll protest against Vice President Leni Robredo by her rival, former Senator Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr.
This came after the PET granted the motion filed by the Comelec last August and ordered the “immediately conduct stripping activities for all the vote counting machines and consolidation and canvass system kits, including the disposal of the VCM external batteries.”
In a decision, the PET also ordered the Comelec to expedite resolution of complain and “allow the parties and representatives of the Tribunal to observe and comment during the conduct of the closure/stripping activities.”
The presidential tribunal also required the poll body and parties in the protest to agree on protocol and procedures to be observed during the closure/stripping and backing up activities, including an ocular inspection of the Comelec’s warehouse in Sta. Rosa, Laguna where said activities will be conducted.
The PET also authorized the Comelec to back up the contents of the VCM SD cards of all 92,509 clustered precincts.