Chief Justice Sereno: SC did its part in election prep

Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno addresses the media during the Training in Court coverage held in Baguio City. TETCH TORRES-TUPAS/INQUIRER.net

BAGUIO City—The Supreme Court has done its part in preparation for the upcoming May 9 elections by expeditiously resolving cases that will have an impact on the upcoming polls, Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno said on Thursday.

“Everything is interesting because it is an election year,” Sereno told reporters.

She said the high court knows the urgency of resolving key cases.

“We have to immediately find out what is the best solution for some important issues,” she added.

“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,” Sereno said.

Among the election-related cases resolved by the high court these past few weeks were the disqualification case of presidential aspirant Senator Grace Poe, the petitions filed by the nuisance candidates, the petition questioning the Commission on Elections’ (Comelec) prohibition on partisan political activities abroad during the 30-day overseas voting period.

READ: SC issues TRO vs Comelec prohibition on campaigning overseas

The high court also recently issued a temporary restraining order stopping inmates and detainees from participating in the local elections.

READ: Participation of inmates in local polls put on hold

The high court also immediately issued a ruling immediately after holding an oral argument in connection with the Comelec’s policy regarding the issuance of verified paper audit trail (VVPAT) or receipts to voters.

Sereno also stressed the importance of the media’s participation in explaining to the public the nature of the high court’s work and how they are committed to the rule of law.

“I am really hopeful media will be excited to understand us more. We will go into more aggressive campaign for us to be understood more,” she said.

“If we are going to set some rules in 2016, we can already project what is going to happen in 2019 and so forth. There must be many iterations of the principles of the rule of law, due process. Kelangan ma-internalize nating lahat ‘yon (We have to internalize all of that),” Sereno said. CDG

READ: It’s final: SC says Poe can run