SC asks parties in Poe DQ case to stop discussing the issue in public

The Supreme Court on Thursday advised the camp of Senator Grace Poe and those pushing for her disqualification to refrain from discussing the merits and substance of the case in public to avoid enflaming emotions.

"Pinagbawalan 'yung mga parties na huwag naman comment nang comment sa mga bagay na magta-tackle ng merits ng kaso," Poe's lawyer, George Garcia, told reporters after the preliminary conference that lasted less than an hour.

"At the same time, this is a very legal and technical issue, hindi dapat gawing pulitikal," he added.

Poe has filed two petitions with the SC challenging the rulings of the Commission on Elections (Comelec) to cancel her certificate of candidacy for president for allegedly failing to meet the citizenship and residency requirements set by the Constitution. The high court has consolidated her petitions.

Garcia also said the SC ordered the supporters, either of Poe or the petitioners, to "refrain from doing anything inside the session hall during the oral argument that might enflame the already very heated arguments."

The lawyer, however, clarified that it is not a gag order.

Oral arguments

On Tuesday's oral arguments, Garcia said their camp will be the first ones to speak, followed by the Comelec represented by Commissioners Arthur Lim and Rowena Guanzon, who will each have 10 minutes to present their arguments.

The private respondents — lawyer Estrella Elamparo, former Senator Francisco Tatad, Antonio Contreras, and Dean Amado Valdez — will be given a total of 20 minutes to present their arguments.

Last to speak will be the Solicitor General, who was invited as "tribune of the people" and who also has 10 minutes to present his case.

Fast finish

Garcia said the SC justices wanted to finish the proceedings immediately.

"More or less po matatapos agad  ang oral arguments in a matter of minutes naman. More or less hindi magtatagal kasi nga the SC would like to at least terminate everything kaagad. Siguro one day lang 'yung oral arguments," he said.

He further said that they will not be bringing up the earlier rift between Comelec chairman Andres Bautista and Guanzon regarding the allegedly unauthorized submission of the poll body's comment with the SC. He said this will only divert the issue.

"Hindi na tatalakayin 'yun, pag nag-discuss pa ng ibang bagay maliban sa nakalagay sa  preliminary conference notice, masyadong mada-divert ang issue," Garcia said.

"As to whether unauthorized or authorized yung nai-file dati, hindi na mahalaga ang importante mabilis na makapagdesisyon ang SC," he added.

Case of a lifetime

In a separate interview, Tatad said they would just present the facts they have already submitted before the Comelec.

"We have the best lawyers representing us. We’ll simply put forward what we have been saying at the Comelec based on the Constitution and the facts of the case. There should be no surprises," he said.

Lawyer Manuelito Luna, Tatad’s counsel, said they are now preparing for their presentation "because this will be a case of a lifetime."

"This is unprecedented and we can expect a highly intense interpellation by the justices, so we have to prepare very hard," he said.

Asked if the five minutes given to them to present would be enough, Luna said it is as they will just focus on the crucial and salient points of their arguments.

"We can expect a longer interpellation by the justices, that is what we are more concerned about. We have to sit down and plan a strategy," he said.  —KBK, GMA News