MANILA – The Supreme Court (SC) issued two TROs on Monday, December 28, stopping the Commission on Elections (Comelec) from canceling Senator Grace Poe’s certificate of candidacy (COC) for president.
“The name of Sen. Grace Poe won’t be removed from the ballots to be printed. She’s still a presidential candidate,” said Atty. George Garcia, legal counsel of Sen. Grace Poe, in a phone interview with AM radio station, DZMM.
Before the hearing was held, Poe filed petitions before the SC to stop the Comelec from barring her presidential bid, and was given by Comelec a five-day period to secure a TRO.
Aside from giving TROs on disqualification cases of Grace Poe, the SC also asked for comments on Poe’s petitions from Comelec within 10 days.
“I thank the Supreme Court for a just and compassionate decision. From the start, I put my full faith in the judicial process. The Comelec denied our people their choices in an open election but I am confident that the Supreme Court will uphold the truth and the spirit of the Constitution,” said Poe giving thanks to the TRO released by the SC.
Meanwhile, Comelec Spokesperson James Jimenez said that SC’s TRO has minimal effect and that Poe has been included in list of names of candidates.
“The effect would probably be minimal, because if you remember when we started loading the election management system, we left the name of Sen. Grace Poe,” said Jimenez in a press conference held at Comelec’s office.