SC junks MR of ex-Manila mayor on disqualification case vs. Erap

Former Manila Mayor Alfredo S. Lim (left) and current Manila Mayor and former president Joseph ‘Erap’ Estrada after a campaign debate mediated by broadcaster Anthony Taberna (Photo courtesy of Alfredo Lim’s official Facebook page)

MANILA — The Supreme Court (SC) en banc on Tuesday dismissed the motion for reconsideration (MR) filed by former Manila Mayor Alfredo S. Lim on the disqualification case against former President and now Manila Mayor Joseph “Erap” Ejercito Estrada.

In a press conference, SC Public Information Office (PIO) Chief and Spokesman said that “the Court denied the motion for reconsideration filed by intervenor, former Mayor Alfredo Lim, on the ground that no substantial argument was raised to merit a reconsideration.”

Because of this, the SC upheld its decision on Jan. 21, 2015 dismissing the disqualification case against Estrada which was filed by Atty. Alicia Risos-Vidal.

In the said decision, the SC declared as “absolute” the pardon granted to Estrada by former President and now Pampanga (2nd District) Rep. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo in October 2007.

The SC characterized the pardon extended by Mrs.

Arroyo to Estrada as absolute, thereby restoring Estrada’s qualification to stand as candidate in the May 13, 2013 elections.

Likewise, the SC said that Estrada’s acceptance of the absolute pardon removed the disqualifications arising under Section 40 of the Local Government Code (LGC) in relation to Section 12 of the Omnibus Election Code (OEC).