MANILA - President Rodrigo Duterte inquired about the status of the manual recount in the electoral protest of former Senator Bongbong Marcos against Vice President Leni Robredo, after saying again that he wants to step down.

In a speech in Malacañang on Monday, May 28, Duterte said he would gladly resign if proven that he he had a hand in the ouster of Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno. He then asked about the status of the vice-presidential electoral protest, hinting that he prefers the son of the late dictator to replace him.

“Ano bang… Ano bang latest count nito kay Bongbong, pati kay ano? Ma-vice president ba talaga ‘yan kasi...,” he added, before veering off to another topic.

(What’s the latest in the recount of Bongbong’s electoral protest? Will he really become vice-president?)

Duterte has been open about his admiration for the Marcos family. His father served in the Cabinet of President Marcos.

Although Bongbong Marcos was not his running mate in the 2016 polls, Duterte has been supportive of the former senator.

Marcos filed an electoral protest against Robredo after the latter beat him in the 2016 vice-presidential race by 263,473 votes.

In his protest, Marcos contested the results in 132,446 precincts in 39,221 clustered precincts covering 27 provinces and cities.

The Supreme Court, acting as the Presidential Electoral Tribunal, is currently holding a manual recount of votes from Camarines Sur, Iloilo, and Negros Oriental, the three pilot provinces chosen by Marcos which cover 5,418 clustered precincts.

The result of the manual recount will determine whether the protest will proceed.

If Marcos succeeds in his electoral protest against Robredo, it would bring him one step closer to the presidency and mark a significant progress in his family's efforts at a political comeback.