SC: Poll-related cases to be resolved on time

All election-related cases will be resolved by the Supreme Court before it goes on recess, a justice of the court said yesterday.

Speaking at a seminar-workshop on strengthening judiciary-media relations, Associate Justice Artemio Panganiban said the high tribunal will hold special en banc sessions, if needed, to act on the petitions.

"We will try to finish all cases, not only the old ones, but the new ones," he said.

Panganiban said they will take up the motion of opposition senatorial candidates Boots Anson-Roa and Amina Rasul-Bernardo for the Court to reconsider its decision denying their earlier petition to have President Arroyo declared resigned or on forced leave.

Panganiban said they will discuss on Tuesday the disqualification case against presidential candidate Eddie Gil.

The high court allowed Gil to rejoin the campaign trail pending resolution of his petition questioning the decision of the Commission on Elections (Comelec) to disqualify him from the presidential race.

The Comelec claims that Gil was a "nuisance candidate" who cannot launch a nationwide campaign for president.

Yesterday, Gil asked the Supreme Court to declare the Comelec in contempt for disobeying the Court’s order of April 13 to return his name in the list of presidential candidates. — Aurea Calica