The Supreme Court (SC) on Thursday, Jan. 20, stopped temporarily the Commission on Elections (Comelec) from enforcing its orders which declared Wilson Caritero Amad a “nuisance” candidate for vice president in the May 9, 2022 local and national elections.
The SC’s order was contained in a resolution that granted Amad’s plea for the issuance of a temporary restraining order (TRO) against the orders issued by the Comelec on Dec. 13, 2021 and Jan. 3, 2022.
The Comelec was directed to comment on Amad’s petition within a non-extendible period of 10 days from receipt of the notice.
The SC’s TRO was issued by Chief Justice Alexander G. Gesmundo based on the written recommendation of the justice who was assigned to handle the case for the SC as a full court.
The SC resolution stated:
“NOW, THEREFORE, respondent COMELEC is hereby required to COMMENT on the petition within a NON-EXTENDIBLE period of ten (10) days from notice hereof.
“Meanwhile, a TEMPORARY RESTRAINING ORDER is ISSUED, effective immediately and continuing until further orders from this Court, enjoining You, respondent COMELEC, your agents, representatives, or persons acting in your place or stead, from enforcing the assailed Resolution dated Dec. 13, 2021 and Order dated Jan. 3, 2022 in SPA No. 21-057 (DC)(MP).”
Last Wednesday, Jan. 19, the SC stopped the Comelec from enforcing its resolution that declared Norman Cordero Marquez a “nuisance candidate” and cancelled his certificate of candidacy (COC) for the 2022 senatorial election.
In several past resolutions, the SC also stopped the Comelec from denying the registration of at least 10 party-list organizations from participating in the 2022 elections.
Stopped by the SC were the non-registrations of Friends of the Poor and Jobless Party-List (FPJ); Laban ng Inang Bayan Para sa Reporma at Oportunidad (LIBRO); Ako Breeder; Ang Programang Aasenso Taumbayan-Dream, Act, Participate and Advocate for Sustainable Transformation (APAT-DAPAT); Ugyon Mangunguma, Mangingisda Kag Mamumugon Nga Ilonggo (UMA ILONGGO); Ang Tinig ng Senior Citizens sa Pilipinas, Inc.; Lingkud Bayanihan Party; the Mindanao Indigenous Peoples Conference for Peace and Development; Alliance for Resilience, Sustainability and Empowerment (ARISE); and the Igorot Warriors International, Inc. (IWI).