FACT CHECK: Marcos Wasn’t Able To Prove He Was Cheated In The 2016 Vice Presidential Elections
A press statement from the camp of presidential candidate Ferdinand Marcos Jr. indicated he lost in the 2016 vice presidential race due to cheating, but the Presidential Electoral Tribunal had ruled otherwise.
Claim: A press statement issued by the camp of presidential candidate Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. on Sunday, March 20, was titled, “Marikinenyos vow to protect BBM from being cheated again.” The statement underscored the supposed cheating that happened in the 2016 vice presidential elections.
The title of the statement was later edited and became “Marikinenyos commit to help BBM’s vote protection.” However, both the original and edited version of the statement read: “‘Hindi kami papayag na dayain ka!’” the crowd shouted in unison, interrupting the speech of presidential frontrunner (Marcos) during a grand rally held at the Marikina City Amphitheater on Saturday evening (March 19).”
“The audience were alluding to the massive cheating incident in 2016 when Marcos who was then running for vice president eventually lost despite leading by huge margins against his rival Leni Robredo through apparent computer manipulations and machinations,” it added.
The quote, “Hindi kami papayag na dayain ka (We will not allow you to get cheated)!” was cited three times in the first version of the statement, and then twice in the second version. This was supposedly the promise of the supporters to Marcos for the coming May elections.
In response, Marcos said “jokingly” as per the statement: “Hindi na tayo papayag, pagdating ng Mayo padadalhan ko kayo ng tone-toneladang kape, walang iidlip, kapag naiidlip minamalas tayo eh.”
“Walang tulugan, walang tulugan, walang tulugan!” his supporters shouted.
Rating: False, misleading
Facts: In 2016, Marcos filed an election protest against Robredo before the Supreme Court, sitting as Presidential Electoral Tribunal (PET), saying he was the duly elected and rightful vice president.
But in 2021, the PET unanimously dismissed the protest filed by Marcos, affirming the victory of Robredo in the vice presidential race.
The PET dismissed Marcos’ protest for lack of merit. The counter-protest filed by Robredo was also dismissed.
Robredo garnered 14,418,817 total votes as against Marcos’ 14,155,344.
Marcos, the son and namesake of the late dictator Ferdinand Marcos, asked for a recount of votes in select provinces. After the recount, Robredo’s lead grew bigger.
In the ruling, the PET said Marcos “failed” to make his case against Robredo.
“There is no substantial recovery of votes in the pilot provinces (Camarines Sur, Iloilo and Negros Oriental) that he himself had designated,” PET noted.
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