SC allows Poe to run for president

MANILA, Philippines (UPDATED 4:01 p.m.) – The Supreme Court on Tuesday decided to allow Sen. Grace Poe to run for president in the May 9 elections.

Voting 9-6, the high court ruled that the presidential aspirant has met the requirements to run for the country's top government post.

SC Public Information Office Chief Theodore Te said the nine magistrates who voted in favor of Poe include Chief Justice Ma. Lourdes Sereno, Associate Justices Presbitero Velasco, Diosdado Peralta, Lucas Bersamin, Jose Perez, Jose Mendoza, Marvic Leonen, Alfredo Benjamin Caguioa, and Francis  Jardeleza.

On the other hand, Te said the six justices who upheld Poe’s disqualification and denied the consolidated petitions were Associate Justices Antonio Carpio, Teresita De Castro, Arturo Brion, Mariano Del Castillo, Bienvenido Reyes and Estela Perlas-Bernabe.

Te clarified that although Brion is on leave, he already submitted his vote on the case to the SC en banc.

The SC spokesperson said nothing else has been authorized to be released since the full ruling is still to be released in the coming days.

The high court held separate deliberations on the citizenship and residency issues against Poe after holding five days of oral arguments on the case.

The Commission on Elections (Comelec) earlier disqualified Poe from the presidential race due to citizenship and residency issues.

The tribunal, however, issued a temporary restraining order against the Comelec ruling which was issued in December 2015.