SC junks motions for intervention, notes without action motion for continuous hearing on Poe case

The Supreme Court of the Philippines building in Manila, Philippines. (Photo by Mike Gonzalez / Wikimedia Commons.)

MANILA—The Supreme Court (SC) en banc on Tuesday dismissed the motions for intervention and noted without action the motion for continuous hearing on the case of Senator Mary Grace Natividad S. Poe.

The case involves the two petitions filed by Poe against the Commission on Elections (Comelec) en banc cancelling her certificate of candidacy (COC) for president in the May 9, 2016 elections.

In a press conference, SC Public Information Office (PIO) Chief and Spokesman Atty. Theodore O. Te said that “the Court denied motions for intervention filed by a certain Atty. Ellis F. Jacoba for lack of merit, and noted without action the motion for continuous hearing filed by private respondent Atty. Estrella Elamparo.”

Elamparo, former legal counsel of the Government Service Insurance System (GSIS) and one of the petitioners in the disqualification case against Poe, on Monday asked the SC to conduct daily oral arguments on the case due to time constraints.

In a motion for continuous hearings, Elamparo said that after the oral arguments last Jan. 19 and 26, only Poe was able to present her arguments before the SC.

Elamparo said that the Comelec as well as herself and the other petitioners, including former Senator Francisco “Kit” Tatad, former University of the East (UE) College of Law Dean Amado Valdez and Ateneo Law Professor Antonio Contreras have yet to present their respective arguments.

“Considering that at least six representatives from among the public and private respondents are slated to do their presentations, it is anticipated that it will take more than one hearing day to complete the oral arguments,” Elamparo said.

She added that the Comelec itself has already delayed the printing of ballots to Feb. 8, 2016 to give way to the proceedings before the SC.

“Considering that time is of the essence and the importance of resolving this case soonest for the guidance of the electorate, petitioner most humbly requests that the oral arguments be set continuously on a daily basis, if possible, until completion,” Elamparo said.