High court junks reelection suit vs Erap 09/03/2010

High court junks reelection suit vs Erap
09/03/2010
A ruling by the Supreme Court (SC) has put off interpreting the constitutional provision on the reelection of a president as it dismissed a petition questioning the candidacy of former President Joseph Estrada during the last elections, stating that the suit that held a constitutional question has been rendered moot.

“Following the results of that (May 10, 2010) elections, private respondent (Estrada) was not elected president for the second time. Thus, any discussion of his ‘reelection’ will simply be hypothetical and speculative. It will serve no useful or practical purpose” the unanimous decision written by Chief Justice Renato Corona said.

The tribunal added that “there is nothing for the court to resolve as the determination thereof has been overtaken by subsequent events.”

Estrada placed second in the elections.

Sought for comment, Estrada’s campaign manager lawyer Ernesto Maceda told the Tribune that “the SC decision is correct” and said that despite the decision “it is unlikely that Mr. Estrada will be running again since he would already be too old (by the next elections).”... MORE

Source:  The Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/headlines/20100903hed4.html