The Supreme Court (SC) is expected to terminate its online oral arguments on Monday, May 17, on the 37 petitions challenging the constitutionality of the Anti-Terrorism Act (ATA).
Thereafter, it will go into its traditional month-long decision-writing recess and will resume sessions, both in three divisions and in full court, in June.
It was not known immediately if the justices will still do their decision-writing recess in Baguio City as traditionally practiced before the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) hit the country in March last year.
The oral arguments on ATA cases would have been terminated last Wednesday. But the SC, due to an extended interpellations of government lawyers, failed to present its two appointed “friends of the court” to share their views on ATA.
Thus, it is expected that on Monday the SC will hear the views of retired Chief Justice Reynato S. Puno and retired Associate Justice Francis H. Jardeleza.
Thereafter, the SC is expected to direct all the petitioners and the respondents – represented by the Office of the Solicitor General – to submit their respective memorandums in amplification of the issues both sides presented during the oral arguments.
Upon receipt of the memoranda, the petitions are deemed submitted for decision.