Ninth day of oral arguments on anti-terror law

The Supreme Court (SC) on Monday resumed the oral arguments on the petitions seeking to repeal the controversial anti-terror law.

National Security Adviser Hermogenes Esperon Jr. is expected to answer more questions from the justices although the petitioners had already asked the Court to end his participation due to his “red-tagging” testimony during the eighth session Wednesday last week.

The petitioners also urged the SC to remove the “defamatory” testimony from the records of the case because it was supposedly not responsive to the questions posed by the Court.

After the interpellation, the Court will hear the positions of the amici curiae (retired Chief Justice Reynato Puno and former SC Justice Francis Jardeleza).

Under the Rules of Court, the amici curiae are “experienced and impartial attorneys” tapped by the Court to help in the disposition of issues in a certain case.

The ninth session of the oral arguments is being held virtually. —Virgil Lopez/KBK, GMA News