Metro Manila (CNN Philippines) — It’s now Rizalito David’s turn to try to block Sen. Grace Poe’s petition to consolidate her cases before the Supreme Court (SC).
David, the petitioner for Poe’s disqualification case before the Senate Electoral Tribunal (SET), filed his manifestation before the high court on Wednesday (January 6).
David argued the petitions before the high court are “by and between parties and originated from different electoral tribunals” — the SET and the Commission on Elections (Comelec).
As such, David said, it also comes with different causes of actions, issues, and reliefs.
“It is unthinkable that she is asking the honorable court to consolidate these cases. That’s absurd,” David’s lawyer, Atty. Manuelito Luna, said.
“We believe that allowing her to have her way will make a mockery of the internal rules of the Supreme Court, which we are bound to protect. The rule of law is at stake here.”
According to David, if the SET decision is reversed and set aside, Poe will be removed from the Senate. And should the court sustain Comelec’s decisions, she will not be included in the ballot or barred from running for president, David added.
