Justices on quarantine move anti-terror law oral arguments to another week

The Supreme Court canceled this week’s anti-terror law oral arguments and moved it to March 2 because there are justices on “self-quarantine.”

“Considering that some of the Justices are on self quarantine as a health precaution against COVID-19, you are hereby informed per instruction of the Honorable Supreme Court of the suspension of the oral arguments scheduled on February 23, 2021. The oral arguments will resume on March 2, 2021 at 2:30 pm,” said a notice by Clerk of Court Edgar Aricheta released on Monday, February 22.

Court spokesperson Brian Keith Hosaka has not replied to queries as of posting who among the 15 justices are on self-quarantine, and what brought about their self-quarantine.

The en banc session for Tuesday, February 23, is also canceled, Rappler has confirmed.

The Supreme Court has been strict with health protocol for the oral arguments, allowing only 7 lawyers for the petitioner and Solicitor General Jose Calida to enter the session hall where the justices are. One lawyer each for the 37 petitions, and the rest of Calida’s staff were allowed inside the Supreme Court but held in separate rooms.

Everyone who enters the Supreme Court, including members of the media, are required to present a negative COVID-19 test taken within 72 hours.

The eldest justices, 4 of them, are 68-69 years old, near the COVID-19 vulnerability age of 70. The rest are younger by 4-14 years.

Calida had wanted to cancel the entire oral arguments, citing the threat to health of an in-person hearing. In a latest pleading, he cited the psychological trauma of the state solicitors who have tested positive for the virus.

Calida was scheduled to deliver his opening arguments and be interpellated on Tuesday. More justices were slated to interpellate the petitioners’ counsels but Chief Justice Diosdado Peralta said last week that Calida will take his turn in the next hearing.

Calida had also been ordered to respond to a new request for a Temporary Restraining Order (TRO). Petitioners raised to the Supreme Court new developments, such as the threats of army general Antonio Parlade Jr and the arrest in Cebu of petitioner Chad Booc, who is a volunteer teacher for Lumads.

Here are our stories from the past 3 days of oral arguments: