The highest court in the country, the Supreme Court of the Philippines upheld on Tuesday night the temporary restraining orders (TROs) stopping the Commission on Elections (Comelec) from enforcing its resolutions canceling Sen. Grace Poe’s certificate of candidacy (COC) for President.
The Supreme Court voted 12-3 and noted that the TROs issued in Sen. Grace Poe’s favor would remain effective “until further orders” from the court.
The Comelec last month canceled Poe’s COC, saying that she was not a natural-born Filipino because she was a foundling and that she failed to meet the 10-year residency requirement because she used to live in the United States.
But Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno issued last Dec. 28 a TRO in favor of Poe just hours after the senator’s camp filed two petitions asking the high tribunal to stop the Comelec from disqualifying her from the May election.
The Supreme Court en banc consolidated the two Sen. Grace Poe’s petitions against disqualification orders from the Comelec’s First and Second Divisions. The consolidated case was scheduled for oral arguments on Jan. 19.