(JANSEN ROMERO / MANILA BULLETIN)
“We expect that the time of the petitioners will end this Tuesday,” said Chief Justice Diosdado M. Peralta last Friday, February 19, when interviewed after the conferment on him of the Doctor of Laws,
honoris cause (for the sake of honor) degree by the Tarlac State University in Tarlac City.
“We never expected that a lot of us (SC justices) would like to ask a lot of questions,” Peralta said.
Tuesday’s oral arguments will be the fourth day of legal debates on the petitions against ATA. Only the petitioners have presented their arguments since last February 2.
Supreme Court (SC) (MANILA BULLETIN)
Solicitor General Jose C. Calida is expected to present the side of the government after SC justices have finished their interpellations of the lawyers for the petitioners in the cases.
The first two sessions – last Feb. 2 and Feb. 9 – were concentrated on the arguments of the petitioners through their lawyers. Thereafter, the interpellations of the justices followed.
After Calida’s presentation of the government’s side, the SC is expected to call its two appointed “friends of court” – former Chief Justice Reynato S. Puno and former SC Associate Justice Francis H. Jardeleza – to give their opinions which may help the SC in resolving the petitions.
BusinessWorld
January 18, 2021 | 7:26 pm
CONGRESS should leave changes to the 1987 Constitution to the next administration, a senator said on Monday, noting that foreign ownership limits may be relaxed by law.
Charter change could also distract the government as it battles a coronavirus pandemic, Senator Franklin M. Drilon told an online news briefing.
âThe perceived problem could be addressed by passing a bill. Changing the Constitution is unnecessary now,â he said in Filipino. âMy suggestion is for the next Congress to make it its top legislative agenda,â he added.
Mr. Drilon cited pending bills seeking to encourage more foreign investors by amending the Retail Trade Liberalization Act and Public Service Act.