SC hit for entertaining motions of losing Senate bets

MANILA, Philippines - The Supreme Court is committing a mistake in entertaining a petition to void the results of the senatorial elections last year, election lawyer Romulo Macalintal said yesterday.

Macalintal said he was surprised that the petition went as far as the high court asking the Commission on Elections (Comelec) to comment on the arguments raised by four petitioners who all ran but lost in the 2013 elections.

“I am puzzled why the Supreme Court asked for Comelec’s comment. Do they have an intention to declare the proclamation of the 12 senators null and void? For me, the petition should have been dismissed outright,” Macalintal told a weekly forum.

He was referring to the petition filed by Ricardo Penson, Hans Christian Seeres, Rizalito David and Baldomero Falcone calling on the high court to invalidate the proclamation of the 12 senators.

He said the Senate Electoral Tribunal has jurisdiction over the results of the senatorial race.

Macalintal added the court’s treatment of the petition might cast doubt on last year’s elections.