Ako Bicol cites need to hurry SC decision

Citing “several public holidays” including the Christmas break, a former Supreme Court (SC) justice has asked the high tribunal to act with “extreme urgency” and stop the Commission on Elections (Comelec) from disqualifying the Ako Bicol party-list group (AKB).

Retired SC Justice and AKB lead counsel Vicente Mendoza has filed a petition in the Supreme Court seeking a temporary restraining order or writ of injunction against the Comelec’s Oct. 10 order that removed the AKB from the list of accredited party-list groups for the 2013 midterm elections.

“The onset of several public holidays in the coming months, including the looming Christmas break, inserts added urgency since said holidays lessen the time to resolve these issues, effectively depriving petitioner AKB of a fair chance to prepare for a nationwide campaign,” Mendoza said.

He added that the Comelec was scheduled to finalize its list of candidates between Dec. 2 and 31, with the ballots to be formatted between Jan. 20 and April 23 next year.

Although the SC is scheduled to resume its en banc session today with the AKB petition on its agenda, Mendoza said the high court will go on a Christmas break next month and return to work on Jan. 7, just two weeks before the ballots will be printed.  Gil Cabacungan