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(File) Lawyers directed by Atty. Howard Calleja and former Secretary of Education Armin Luistro de los Hermanos De La Salle present the first petition in the Supreme Court of Manila to challenge the constitutionality of the ‘Antiterrorist Law’ that was signed by President Rodrigo Duterte. RICHARD A. REYES / INQUIRER
MANILA, Philippines – The Supreme Court did not expect that the number of petitions against the Anti-Terrorism Law could accumulate, making it the most contested law.
Last September, the Supreme Court was supposed to conduct oral argument, but the tentative timetable was not met.
“We think all the time that it would only take five requests huh, so we hope that everything will be presented immediately to be able to establish oral arguments [that is why we waited until all the petitions are in so we can set for oral arguments]”Supreme Court Chief Justice Diosdado Peralta said during an online press conference on Friday.
To date, there are 37 petitions pending before the Supreme Court and there are still two more from Mindanao that the Court has yet to receive. With 37 petitions pending before the Supreme Court, the Anti-Terrorism Law is now the most contested since the Cybercrime Prevention Law.
Peralta said the oral argument will go ahead, but only after the Court has determined the issues that should be part of the debate.
The Chief Justice added that to ensure that the oral arguments are in order, the Court has asked the judge in charge of the case to draw up a list of common issues discussed by petitioners and issues that are unique to each petitioner. .
“I hope that she (the judge in charge of the case) is ready to present the issues to us when we return on November 3 and we set the case for a preliminary conference. I think that in mid-November we can already agree on the date of the oral argument, ”he said.
The Chief Justice also raised the possibility of inviting one or two amicus curiae to assist the Court.
“But we will solve that problem in due time,” Peralta said.
The Antiterrorist Law was promulgated by the president on July 3 last. The government has recently published the rules and regulations for implementing the law.
/ MUF
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