SC gives due course to Lim’s disqualification raps vs. Estrada

Former Manila Mayor Alfredo S. Lim (left) and current Manila Mayor and former president Joseph ‘Erap’ Estrada after a campaign debate mediated by broadcaster Anthony Taberna. Photo courtesy of Alfredo Lim’s official Facebook page.

MANILA — The Supreme Court (SC) has given due course to the petition filed by former Manila Mayor Alfredo S. Lim in connection with the disqualification case filed against former President and now Manila Mayor Joseph “Erap” Ejercito Estrada.

In a resolution dated April 22, 2014 but was released to the media only on Monday, the SC en banc “resolved to give due course to the petition and petition-in-intervention[.]”

Atty. Alicia Risos-Vidal, the legal counsel of Lim during the canvassing in the May 13, 2013 elections, is the petitioner in the case while Lim is the intervenor since he will benefit from the case if Estrada is disqualified.

The SC treated the comments as answers and required the parties to submit their respective memoranda within 30 days from notice.

According to the SC, the memorandum of each party shall contain a statement of the case, a statement of facts, a statement of the issues, arguments and reliefs.

“No new issues may be raised by a party in the memorandum, and the issue raised in the pleadings but not included in the memorandum shall be deemed waived or abandoned. Being a summation of the parties’ previous pleadings, the Court may consider the memorandum alone in deciding or resolving this case,” the SC resolution said.

Vidal filed a disqualification case against Estrada before the Commission on Elections (Comelec). It was seconded by Lim.

They both appealed before the SC the Comelec ruling dismissing her disqualification case against Estrada.

Vidal argued that the Comelec ruling should be reversed by the SC, stressing that the poll body committed grave abuse of discretion.

She explained that Estrada’s conviction for plunder had rendered him disqualified to seek another public office.

She further argued that the pardon granted to Estrada by then President and now Pampanga (2nd District) Rep. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo did not restore his right to seek or hold public office.

The Manila Board of Canvassers proclaimed Estrada along with his running mate Vice Mayor Isko Moreno after he won the May 13, 2013 mayoralty election by leading against incumbent Lim with more than 30,000 votes.