Comelec no longer to push for extended liquor ban

The Commission on Elections (Comelec) might be withdrawing its extended liquor ban after all leading up to Monday's midterm elections. In a chance interview after facing magistrates at the Supreme Court, Brillantes said the poll body is unlikely to contest a Supreme Court ruling issued earlier in the day cutting the poll body's five-day liquor ban to just two days. Brillantes admitted that the Comelec has "not been pushing hard for" the extended liquor ban anyway. Asked if the poll body would still file, as required by the high tribunal, a comment on the petition against the ban, Brillantes said: "Eh kung iwi-withdraw rin naman namin iyon [extended liquor ban], bakit pa kami magsusubmit ng comment." At a press briefing Wednesday, SC Public Information Office chief Theodore Te said the court granted a petition from the Food and Beverage Inc. and International Wines and Spirits Association to stop the Comelec from enforcing Comelec Minute Resolution No. 13-0322. "The courts resolves to issue a TRO effective immediately enjoining respondent Comelec from implementing liquor ban," he said. The extended liquor ban was supposed to start on Thursday, May 9, and last until Monday, May 13, Election Day. Due to the TRO, the liquor ban was cut down to just two days—on May 12 and 13. In their petition, Food and Beverage Inc. and the International Wines and Spirits Association said the extended liquor ban would cause "irreparable injury" to the beverage industry. They also accused the poll body of acting "in excess of its jurisdiction" when it allegedly modified the provision of Section 261 of the Omnibus Election Code, which specifies the prohibited acts during election period. The Supreme Court gave the Comelec until 5 p.m. of May 9 to submit its comment on the petition. In a minute resolution, the Comelec en banc extended the liquor ban from two to five days, to be in force and effective from May 9, 2013 (Thursday) to May 13, 2013 (Monday), Election Day. — BM, GMA News