Zubiri to withdraw counter-protest vs Koko Pimentel

Sen. Juan Miguel Zubiri, who resigned from the Senate on Wednesday, said he will withdraw his counter-protest against Aquilino "Koko" Pimentel III, who has named him respondent in an electoral protest lodged before the Senate Electoral Tribunal (SET). In an ambush interview with reporters late Wednesday, Zubiri said he has already asked his lawyers to submit to SET a copy of his privilege speech delivered earlier in the day announcing his resignation. "It was against the wishes of our lawyers [pero] hindi ko na itutuloy ang counter-protest ko," the senator from Bukidnon said. "As far as we are concerned, we are out of it." He said he made the move so that the SET can resolve Pimentel's electoral protest at the soonest possible time. "Pinadali ko lang yung proseso." Zubiri resigned amid allegations that he was the beneficiary of an alleged cheating in the 2007 midterm elections, particularly in Maguindanao province. In his privilege speech, he vehemently denied the allegation. He said he resigned because the issue is already affecting his family. Pimentel ranked 13th in the 2007 elections with 10,987,347 votes. Zubiri scraped through at 12th with 11,005,866 votes. — Kimberly Jane Tan/KBK, GMA News