In a landmark ruling, the Supreme Court (SC) decided to save Senator Grace Poe from disqualification as presidential candidate in the 2016 election.

The SC en banc on Tuesday, March 8, voted 9-6 to reverse the decision of the Commission on Elections (Comelec) to cancel Poe’s certificate of candidacy (COC).

Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno was among the 9 justices who voted in favor of Poe. The rest are Presbitero Velasco Jr, Diosdado Peralta, Lucas Bersamin, Jose Perez, Jose Mendoza, Marvic Leonen, Francis Jardeleza, and Benjamin Caguioa.

The 6 justices who voted against Poe are Antonio Carpio, Teresita Leonardo-Carpio, Mariano del Castillo, Arturo Brion, Estela Perlas-Bernabe, and Bienvenido Reyes.

 

NEW GROUNDS FOR  DISQUALIFICATION

But the Supreme Court decision allowing Senator Poe to run for President may be shot down with new grounds for her disqualification.

This is the position taken by former University of the East (UE) College of Law Dean Amado Valdez, one of four petitioners who filed a disqualification case against Poe. The petitions sought to bar Poe from joining the 2016 presidential race for failing to meet the citizenship and residency.

Valdez said he will be presenting new grounds in his motion for reconsideration that could reverse the decision of the High Court.

“We want that the Constitution and the rule of law will triumph in the end, he said in a report on ABS/CBN.com

He said he has nothing personal in questioning Poe’s presidential run.

“This is beyond Grace Poe, this is beyond the elections. This is about respect for the rule of law so whether it will be decided five years, ten years from now, this is not a personal thing against Grace Poe,” he added.

In the report, Valdez bared the new grounds why Poe should be disqualified.

“The fresh ground that I will be discussing in my motion for reconsideration would be the possible culpable violation of the Constitution and betrayal of public trust, which, incidentally are grounds for impeachment. I’m not saying they will file a case of impeachment, but I’m saying is that will be the ground, a new ground which I will be stating in my motion for reconsideration,” said Valdez.

Valdez said that his case against Poe goes beyond the elections, adding that he just wants the rule of law upheld.

“Regardless of the time frame required by the election, we are after the jurisprudence here, so that the country can be properly guided on its actions in terms of who are to reside, who are natural-born citizens,” Valdez said.