ESTRADA

The Supreme Court (SC) junked with finality on Tuesday a petition seeking to disqualify former President Joseph Estrada from the presidential race this May, saying the petition was premature and that the issue must first be resolved by the Commission on Elections (Comelec).

SC spokesman Jose Midas Marquez said the en banc decision threw out the motion for reconsideration on the dismissal of the petition filed by the group Vanguard of the Philippine Constitution, Inc.

“The Vanguard petition seeking the disqualification of former President Joseph Estrada was denied there being no substantial arguments raised in the motion for reconsideration of petitioners,” Marquez told a press conference.

Vanguard, represented by its President Eligio Mallari, argued that Estrada, being a former President, is prohibited by the Constitution from seeking reelection. It also noted that Estrada, who was convicted for plunder, was pardoned by President Arroyo on the condition that he would no longer seek any elective office.

The SC first dismissed the Vanguard petition last December 8 for being premature, saying the Comelec must first resolve the issue.

Also on Tuesday, Marquez said the SC dismissed with finality the petition of the group Migrante to allow it to participate in the upcoming partylist elections, upholding a Comelec decision removing the group from the list of accredited party-list organizations.

Marquez said the High Court likewise affirmed its earlier ruling reinstating Laguna Rep. Dan Fernandez.

It also dismissed a petition questioning the decision of the House of Representatives Electoral Tribunal (HRET) declaring Josephine Veronique Lacson as the true winner in the 2007 congressional race in the Malabon-Navotas district over ousted congressman Alvin Sandoval.

The High Court stated that the Malabon-Navotas case was moot and academic since Lacson had already taken her oath and started discharging her functions as representative of the district in Congress.