MANILA, Philippines — The Supreme Court (SC) is still within its self-imposed deadline to rule on the anti-terrorism law within the year, Chief Justice Alexander Gesmundo said recently.
The SC “is at the stage of deliberating already so hopefully within the year, or as soon as possible, we could resolve and decide this case,” he said.
To finish the decision within the year was the same answer Gesmundo gave when he was asked last July about the decision on the 37 petitions filed against the Anti-Terror Act of 2020.
He earlier said that they would also want to have a decision on the law before SC Associate Justice Rosmari Carandang retires when she turns 70 on Jan. 9, 2022.
However, Gesmundo could neither say how much work has been done nor the stand of the justices.
“Our deliberation is very confidential until the decision is actually published or announced by the court,” he added.
The petitioners asked that the law be declared null and void on the grounds that it was unconstitutional because it violates the rights of the people.
The SC terminated the oral arguments last May 17 after holding nine hearings.