MANILA — Civic leaders on Tuesday has asked the Supreme Court to stop the Senate and Congress from canvassing the votes case for former senator and presumptive president Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr.
The prayer for a restraining order is contained in a petition to reverse the Commission on Elections (Comelec) decision that dismissed the bid to cancel Marcos’ certificate of candidacy.
“The injunctive relief sought is clearly urgent. Petitioners respectfully ask this Court to act without any delay in considering this application,” the petition stated.
Petitioners refers to the Comelec’s Jan. 17, 2022 resolution and Comelec’s en banc dated May 10, 2022.
The Senate and House of Representatives will convene on May 23 to canvass the votes cast for President and Vice President.
‘Only remedy available’
In their petition before the high court, petitioners said: “A temporary restraining order is the only remedy available to enjoin and restrain the Congress of the Philippines from rendering this Petition moot and, in the event this Court rules in favor of the petitioners, allowing a candidacy that should never have been to ripen into a presidency of an ineligible candidate.”
If the SC would grant their petition for a restraining order, they said it can exclude only the votes cast for Marcos Jr., leaving the unaffected the votes for the other candidates.
“It is not petitioners’ desire to impede the Congress of the Philippines from performing its constitutional duty; it is rather petitioners’ desire to ensure that Congress, in performing this duty, does not end up performing it in vail,” petitioners said. (Tetch Torres-Tupas ©Philippine Daily Inquirer 2022)
