The Supreme Court (SC) will resolve before the May 10 elections the petition filed by Liberal Party (LP), asking to nullify and reverse the Commission on Election’s order allowing the merger of the Nationalist People's Coalition-Nacionalista Party (NPC-NP) as a dominant minority party.

SC Administrator and spokesman Midas Marquez said the SC will resolve the petition before the May 10 as it directed respondents Comelec, NPC and NP to file a comment within five days upon receipt of the order.

Last Tuesday, the SC en banc issued an order for a "status quo ante order" with regards to the Commission on Elections’ order allowing the merger of the NPC-NP as a dominant minority party.

“The SC will resolve it after receiving the comment of the respondents (Comelec, NPC, and NP). But it will be resolved before the election,” he said.

In a resolution, the Comelec approved the accreditation of both the NPC and the NP.

A "status quo ante order" means that the situation prevailing prior to the issuance of the Comelec resolution will be observed.

Marquez said “the Court required the respondents to file their respective comments within a "non-extendible" period of five days from Tuesday. It matters to them because the dominant minority is entitled to election returns,” he told reporters in a press briefing.

The petition was filed by the Liberal Party (LP) against the respondents Commission on Elections (Comelec), the NPC and the NP at the SC.

The LP asked the Court to nullify and reverse the Comelec’s decision to recognize and formally accredit the alliance between the Nacionalista Party and the Nationalist People’s Coalition (NP-NPC).

At the same time, the LP urged the High Court to stop the Comelec from implementing its decision in its deliberation on who should be the dominant minority party in the May 10 national and local elections.