THE camp of Camarines Sur Rep. Leni Robredo had declared victory but Malacañang said it will not recognize any winner of the vice presidential race in the May 9 elections pending the official vote count.
Presidential Communications Secretary Herminio Coloma Jr. on Monday said the Palace will wait for the official proclamation of the winners.
“We understand Rep. Robredo’s assertion pertaining to the results of the election, as well as Sen. [Ferdinand] Marcos’ [Jr.] reservations on the unofficial poll count,” Coloma told reporters.
Marcos is the Camarines Sur lawmaker’s chief rival for the second-highest post in the land.
“We also note that Congress will soon convene as the National Board of Canvassers.
Perhaps it is best to await the official announcement by Congress as NBOC on the matter,” he said.
On Sunday, Robredo said it is “mathematically impossible” for Marcos to win the vice presidency and catch up with her lead.
“It”s irreversible. We have won,” the congresswoman told supporters.
Robredo’s camp said that even if all 168,988 registered voters from the nine remaining municipalities that had not transmitted their certificates of canvass would go to the senator, Robredo will still emerge victorious because she had a lead of 257,567 votes as of Sunday afternoon.
Sen. Antonio Trillanes 4th also on Monday said the vice presidential race should be left to the NBOC because the unofficial count is too close to call.
Trillanes, who already accepted defeat in his bid for Vice President, noted that it is only the NBOC that can determine who won the vice presidential contest.
“Of course, both parties can claim they have won or one would claim cheating, that is why we don’t want to get involved because it’s too close to call,” the senator said.
Congress is expected to convene as the NBOC on May 25 and tally the votes for President and Vice President.
The camp of Robredo, however, said the lawmaker will inhibit herself from sitting as a member of the Board of Canvassers.
Georgina Hernandez, spokesman for Robredo, said the latter will attend the canvassing of votes at the House of Representatives on May 23 but she will not take part in the proceedings.
Robredo represents the Third District of Camarines Sur at the House of Representatives.
Her camp, however, is confident that the lawmaker will maintain her lead after the official canvassing of votes.
“We are confident of the process and the institutions like Congress, which will be canvassing the votes next week. We trust that they will be transparent in the counting of votes,” Hernandez said.
“If there is serious request for such [recount], then they should do it before a proper forum. They should be responsible in making calls. But we would say transparency is very evident right now. What transparency are we still looking for here?” she added.