SC special courts to manage election protests in 2016

MANILA, Philippines – The Supreme Court (SC) on Wednesday assigned special courts to handle election protests in municipalities for the 2016 elections.

In an administrative order, the highest tribunal designated more than a hundred special courts in the 13 regions in the country including the National Capital Region to manage election protests.

The SC’s order says the special courts are tasked to prioritize the election cases over the other cases, except on petitions of writ of habeas corpus, amparo and habeas date.

The court issued the order to designate special courts since some municipalities have already converted into cities and have their own newly created regional trial courts.

The order indicates the the Rules of Procedure for Municipal Election Contests which provides that the regional trial courts have the exclusive and original jurisdiction over all the election contests involving municipal officials.

The administrative order was signed by Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Aranal Sereno, Senior Associate Justices Antonio Carpio and Presbitero  Velasco, Jr.