Dennis, di pa magiging tatay!

Senatorial candidate Alan Peter Cayetano failed to get the Supreme Court to act on his petition to have his namesake Joselito Pepito Cayetano permanently disqualified from the senatorial race.

Instead of deciding on Alan Peter Cayetano’s petition, the SC ordered Joselito Pepito Cayetano and the Commission on Elections (Comelec) to submit their comments within 10 days.

Lawyer Midas Marquez, SC spokeswoman, told reporters yesterday that until the SC decides on the petition based on the comments of Joselito Pepito Cayetano and the Comelec, the status quo shall remain.

“The justices saw the urgency of the petition but they did not see enough merit to warrant the issuance of a (temporary restraining order),” she said.

“The status quo will remain as (Joselito Pepito Cayetano’s) disqualification is not yet final. He (Joselito Pepito Cayetano) is still a candidate. The Supreme Court will then decide based on the comments.”

Marquez said with the SC asking for the comments of Joselito Pepito Cayetano and the Comelec before issuing a decision, the petition of Alan Peter Cayetano might become moot as the counting of votes might already be over by then.

“(Alan Peter Cayetano) may then make use of other recourse, such as the filing of an election protest,” she said.

Yesterday’s SC special session was headed by acting Chief Justice Leornardo Quisumbing.

The SC is still on recess until June 5.

Only seven justices took part in yesterday’s special session as the rest, including Chief Justice Reynato Puno, are on leave.

Those who participated in the special full session were Justices Angelina Sandoval-Gutierrez, Antonio Carpio, Renato Corona, Adolfo Azcuna, Dante Tinga and Antonio Eduardo Nachura.

Alan Peter Cayetano said in his petition that under Comelec Resolution No. 7800, the period for seeking a reconsideration of a decision rendered by a division of the Comelec on the petition for the disqualification of a nuisance candidate was shortened to three days.

In the case of Joselito Pepito Cayetano, the Comelec ruled that his motion for reconsideration was deemed filed on time even if it was filed beyond the three-day period, he added.

Alan Peter Cayetano is mulling the filing of an impeachment case before the House of Representatives against Comelec chairman Benjamin Abalos for railroading his case against Joselito Pepito Cayetano.

Leila de Lima, Alan Peter Cayetano’s lawyer, said her client’s standing in the election was affected because the Comelec had “deliberately delayed the disposition” of the case. – Mike Frialde, Sheila Crisostomo, Christina Mendez