MANILA – The Supreme Court on Tuesday issued temporary restraining orders (TROs) stopping the Commission on Elections (Comelec) from enforcing its rulings to disqualify or reject the filing of certificates of candidacy (COCs) of five individuals seeking to run for different positions in the upcoming national and local elections.
During its first en banc session for the year, the SC granted TROs prohibiting the Comelec from declaring Subair Guinthum Mustapha and Charles Savellano as nuisance candidates in their bid to run for the Senate and as Ilocos Sur 1st District representative, respectively.
The high court ordered the Comelec to comment on the petitions of Mustapha and Savellano within a non-extendible period of five days from receipt of notice and required the personal service and filing of the resolution and comment.
The SC also granted a TRO in favor of Chito Bulatao Balintay, a member of the indigenous peoples of Zambales, who filed a petition challenging the Comelec’s resolution rejecting his application, which prevented him from filing his COC for Zambales governor.
This in effect directs the poll body to accept and give due course to Balinay’s COC, the tribunal said.
In other rulings, the court granted TROs in favor of Edgar Erice who was disqualified by the Comelec in his bid as representative of Caloocan City’s 2nd District, and Florendo de Ramos Ritualo Jr. who is challenging the Comelec resolution canceling his COC for Sangguniang Panlungsod (City Council) member for San Juan City’s 1st District.
The SC directed the Comelec to file its comment on the cases of Balintay, Erice, and Ritualo within a non-extendible period of 10 days from receipt of notice. (PNA)