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<img loading="lazy" src="https://cdn.kahimyang.com/resources-9/duterte-marcos-robredo-sm.webp" alt="Duterte, Marcos Jr., Robredo" />
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(Marcos Jr., Duterte, Robredo)
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Consequently, the matter of presidential succession again became the subject of much discussion in many quarters notwithstanding what is clearly stated in the Constitution about it.


However, because of the unresolved protest against the "election" of Maria Leonor Robredo as vice president more than four years ago filed by former senator Ferdinand Marcos Jr., those who voted for the latter naturally want the protest resolved first.


And, I believe, rightly so. 


The big question is why hasn't the Presidential Electoral Tribunal (PET) done so after four years?


Under Republic Act (RA) 1793 of June 31, 1957, the PET shall be composed of the chief justice as chairman and 10 other members of the high court. However, the tribunal's composition was changed under Batas Pambansa 884 of Dec. 3, 1985.


In any case, I think the composition of the PET is irrelevant insofar as the question of why it has not made a decision thus far on the petition filed by Marcos against Robredo after almost four years.


RA 1793 states that the tribunal "shall decide the contest within twenty months after it is filed."


On the other hand, Batas Pambansa 884 specifies that the tribunal "must decide the contest within twelve months after it is filed."

Why hasn't the PET resolved the Marcos VP protest after four years?