SC issues TRO against COMELEC disqualification order on former Cong. Egay Erice
Paulo Gaborni January 14, 2025 at 07:38 PM
MANILA, Philippines — The Supreme Court (SC) on Tuesday, January 14, issued a temporary restraining order (TRO) barring the Commission on Elections (COMELEC) from implementing its decision to disqualify former Caloocan 2nd District Rep. Edgar Erice from running in the 2025 midterm elections.
SC spokesperson Camille Ting confirmed that the high court granted the separate petitions filed by candidates seeking to halt the COMELEC’s disqualification orders.
“The SC issued a TRO prohibiting the COMELEC from disqualifying Erice,” Ting said.
Ting added that the high court directed the COMELEC to submit its comment on Erice’s petition within a non-extendible period of 10 days from receipt of the notice.
Erice had challenged COMELEC’s rulings, which led to his disqualification in November 2024 for allegedly spreading “false and alarming” information, a violation of Section 261 of the Omnibus Election Code.
The poll body upheld its decision on Dec. 27, issuing a four-page Certificate of Finality that made his disqualification “final and executory,” resulting in his name being excluded from ballots printed on January 6, 2025.
In April last year, Erice also petitioned the SC to stop COMELEC’s P17.9-billion Automated Election System contract with Miru Systems Co. Ltd., citing violations of the bidding process and non-compliance with Republic Act 7369, or the Automated Election Law.
COMELEC Chairman George Erwin Garcia acknowledged the SC’s ruling as “part of the process,” saying, “We will have to find a way to comply with the SC directive.”
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