After its standard-bearer Mar Roxas conceded defeat yesterday, the Liberal Party (LP) is now pinning its hope on Camarines Sur Rep. Leni Robredo who is now leading the partial and unofficial count based on the data from the Commission on Elections (Comelec).
Akbayan Rep. Barry Gutierrez, LP spokesman for campaign, said the entire party and its allies are now focused on monitoring the quick count, as well as in guarding her votes.
“This is the race that we are definitely looking at very very closely. And we are very optimistic that Cong. Leni Robredo has a big chance to be elected as Vice President,” said Gutierrez.
In fact, Gutierrez said they have an analysis from a respected member of the academe that states that Robredo will win by a narrow margin against Marcos.
No less than Roxas himself declared that the Liberal Party will make sure that all the votes for her will be counted properly.
“Hindi pa tapos ang laban ni Leni. Angat siya, lumalaban siya. Patuloy tayong magbantay, manalig at sumuporta.
Siguraduhin natin na mabibilang ng tama ang kanyang boto,” said Roxas.
Senator Bongbong Marcos started as the frorntrunner of the race when the quick count started after the voting time lapsed as 5 p.m. on Monday. He sustained the lead until 9:45 p.m. and even widen the lead up to some 935,000.
But during that time, Marcos lead has started to decrease and by midnight, the lead had already narrowed to 298,000.
At around 3:30 a.m., Robredo has overtaken Marco and kept the lead as of press time yesterday.
The camp of Marcos immediately raised allegation of possible election cheating, arguing that the narrowing of the lead and the ensuing Robredo lead happened in the wee hours of the night.
Robredo immediately rejected the insinuation that she is engaged in cheating, saying the entire country is witness to the quick count being tallied.
She said the reason given to them by the Parish Pastoral Council for Responsible Voting (PPCRV) is that Marcos made the early lead since votes from his bailiwicks came first such as those coming from Ilocos region, Cagayan Valley Region and Central Luzon.
The vote from Robredo’s bailiwick – Bicol Region, Western Visayas, Central Visayas and Negros Island Region – came late.