Sereno: SC quick in resolving poll cases

BAGUIO CITY, Philippines – The Supreme Court (SC) has so far been efficient in resolving cases related to the May elections, Chief Justice Ma. Lourdes Sereno said yesterday.

Speaking to reporters, Sereno said the high court has done its part in the preparations for the elections at the conclusion of their summer session and start of their decision-writing break until June.

“So this session is as important as the previous one, and I hope you had that impression that we acted quite fast on many of those issues,” the SC chief said.  

Sereno admitted that the past few weeks have been “very interesting” for the SC “because it’s an election year.”

She said the high tribunal is aware of the urgency in resolving key cases, that’s why they had “to immediately find out the best solution for some important issues.”

Among the election-related cases resolved by the high court over the past weeks were the disqualification case against presidential candidate Sen. Grace Poe and cases of nuisance candidates, and policies of the Commission on Elections like the issuance of verified paper audit trail (VVPAT) or voter’s receipts, ban on campaign abroad and participation of inmates and prisoners in the polls.

In the case on VVPAT, the high court issued a ruling just a few hours after holding an oral argument.

The Poe case triggered debates on the actual findings of the SC on the senator’s eligibility after dissenting justices raised the lack of a majority ruling on these issues.

Sereno addressed this issue by reiterating the collegial nature of the high tribunal.

“Some of you may be mystified at what 15 men and women do especially at the height of heated discussions. But you can understand that the design of the Constitution is really for 15 independent people speaking out their minds in a professional way and arriving at the vote. And when that vote is carried out, then that will help stabilize our country,” she said.