Malacanang on Tuesday distanced itself from the decision of the Supreme Court, sitting as the Presidential Electoral Tribunal (PET), to again defer voting on former Senator Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr.'s election protest against Vice President Leni Robredo.

In a press briefing, Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo said President Rodrigo Duterte, a known ally of the Marcoses, is always on the side of the law.

"We will leave it to them. We will leave it to the tribunal to decide on its own whatever pending cases it has," he said.

"Whatever you know the President is always on the side of the law. Whatever the law says we should enforce it," added Panelo, also chief presidential legal counsel.

SC spokesman Brian Keith Hosaka said the vice presidential election protest by Marcos against Robredo is still being deliberated by members of the tribunal.

Associate Justice Alfredo Benjamin Caguioa, who is in charge of the election protest, submitted last month a report regarding the recount or revision of ballots from Marcos' chosen pilot provinces. Celerina Monte/DMS