Amid Vice Pres. Sara Duterte Believing More PDP-Laban Bets Should Have Won, Party Seeks Manual Recount of Votes
PDP-LABAN – The political party filed a petition before the Supreme Court seeking an order for manual recount of 2025 Senatorial Election votes.
The Vice President fervently campaign for the #Duter10 in the 2025 Senatorial Elections. Her siblings also did the same as it was the request of their father, former Pres. Rodrigo Roa Duterte, who is currently detained under the custody of the International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague.
According to Vice Pres. Sara Duterte, the senatorial candidates she endorsed in the 2025 Senatorial Elections are “united by a common vision”. Here are the senatorial bets of the Vice President in the recent senatorial election:
- Sen. Imee Marcos
- Las Piñas District Representative Camille Villar
- Sen. Christopher “Bong” Go
- Sen. Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa
- Congressman Rodante Marcoleta
- singer Jimmy Bondoc
- Jayvee Hinlo
- Raul Lambino
- actor Philip Salvador
- Atty. Victor Rodriguez
- Pastor Apollo Quiboloy
- Doc Marites Mata
Former Pres. Rodrigo Roa Duterte is the chairman of the PDP-Laban but he is currently detained in The Hague, Netherlands for more than 100 days now. Senator Robin Padilla, the then-president of the political party, also attempted to visit Duterte in the ICC detention facility but it was unclear if he was allowed or not to see the former President.
Out of the 12 senatorial candidates endorsed by Vice Pres. Sara Duterte, five (5) made it into the Senate Magic 12. They are Sen. Imee Marcos, Las Piñas District Representative Camille Villar, Sen. Christopher “Bong” Go, Sen. Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa, and Cong. Rodante Marcoleta.
The Commission on Elections has finished the canvassing of the senatorial votes in just a few days. The Comelec has proclaimed the senatorial election winners on Saturday following the poll marking the history as the fastest counting of votes.
However, Vice Pres. Sara Duterte believes that more candidates of the PDP-Laban should have won the 2025 Senatorial Elections. According to her, her first basis in 2022 that she was winning the vice presidential race was when she won the Absentee Voting. She stressed that Jimmy Bondoc, Jayvee Hinlo, and Doc Marites Mata won in the Absentee Voting.
“Nanalo po sila sa eleksyon noong nakaraan. Kausap ko po IT experts na nagsasabi hindi talaga pwede na totoo yung mga numero na lumabas,” Duterte said.
Vice Pres. Duterte advised the PDP-Laban to ask about the canvassing of votes. Recently, based on a report on ABS-CBN News, the political party filed a petition before the Supreme Court seeking for a manual recount of the senatorial votes in the 2025 Election.
The petition was represented by PDP-Laban National Vice Chairman Alfonso Cusi. It was filed by lawyer Israelito Torreon who was accompanied by Atty. Jimmy Bondoc. Based on the report, the political party’s call for a recount is based on Republic Act No. 9369 or the Automated Election System Act and Republic Act and Batas Pambansa Blg. 881 or the Omnibus Election Code.
“Whether such manual counting or recount be partial, targeted, or nationwide, petitioners humbly leave the same to the sound discretion of his Honorable Court, with due regard to the extent of necessity, efficiency, and economy or cost-effectiveness in implementing the pertinent election laws,” the PDP-Laban stated in its petition.
The party cited the discovery of equipment like the Starlink transmission devices and solar panels and the alleged rampant mismatches between the voter receipt and the actual ballot. The Comelec has yet to speak on the move of the political party.
Previously, the Comelec spoke about Vice Pres. Sara Duterte doubting the results of the 2025 Senatorial Elections.