The Philippine Online Chronicles

The lawyers of losing vice-presidential candidate Manuel "Mar" Roxas have filed an electoral protest before the Presidential Electoral Tribunal (PET). In the 120-page petition, Roxas’ camp demanded the manual counting of almost 3 million null votes nationwide that were not canvassed in the previous automated elections.

Roxas also insisted that an independent body conduct a forensic analysis on the source code, PCOS machines, CF cards, and ballots used in the elections. He also asked for a thorough review of the automated elections system especially in the light of numerous technical glitches encountered before, during, and after the May 10 national polls, Yahoo News reported.

The Liberal Party bet lost to Binay by almost 800,000 votes.

According to Roxas’ lawyers, misreading of ballots occurred and only a manual recount can resolve the problem. In his petition, Roxas insisted that null votes in his bailiwick areas--Regions 6, 7 and 8--be prioritized in the manual recount, saying a recount could highly affect the standing in the vice presidential race, particularly the election of vice president Jejomar "Jojo" Binay.

Bienvinido Somera Jr., Roxas’ legal counsel, said the arguments in the petition were the same issues they raised to the National Board of Canvassers (NBOC) but Congress rejected their objections.  “Mar Roxas has no other option but to bring these grounds now before the PET," he said.

Somera also said that Binay's proclamation "should be annulled and set aside" because the certificates of canvass used were not duly and properly authenticated "as these failed to meet all the legal requirements for the determination of authenticity and due execution of the COCs for vice president.”

Meanwhile, the vice president said Roxas is entitled to file an electoral protest. Binay’s lawyer Atty. JV Bautista said the issue of null votes is irrelevant since the Commission on Elections (Comelec) already junked Roxas’ petition on the null votes. In an answer to Roxas's counsel Comelec chair Jose Melo said, "How can you count if the people did not vote?"