Good morning, Rappler readers!
The Supreme Court of the Philippines votes on Friday, May 11, in favor of the quo warranto petition that sought to oust its chief justice, Maria Lourdes Sereno – a move initiated by President Rodrigo Duterte’s appointed Solicitor General and which has raised concern among legal experts as unconstitutional.
Voting 8-6, it was the first time for the SC to remove its own chief via quo warranto. According to the Constitution, a chief justice can only be removed through impeachment.
Before this, former Ateneo School of Government dean and law professor Antonion La Viña had written: “In the…quo warranto case, a simple majority of 8 members of the Supreme Court could decide to remove a sitting Chief Justice. That lowers the bar for removing an impeachable official. This effectively judicially amends the Constitution.” (READ: The options of Chief Justice Sereno)
Here are the big stories you shouldn’t miss.
If the Senate decides to question the ouster, it will result in a constitutional crisis, says constitutional law expert Dan Gatmaytan.
Singapore will provide a neutral backdrop for the summit, avoiding some of the security and political challenges associated with a meeting in the Demilitarized Zone that separates North and South Korea.
Out of more than 42,000 barangays nationwide, 7,915 have been labeled by the government as areas where there is heightened political tension and risks.
The automatic price ceiling and regular monitoring of prices are pursuant to Proclamation 475, which placed 3 barangays in Boracay under a state of calamity.
Executive Order 54 provides a P1,150 across-the-board increase for all permanent disability pensioners in the private sector, as well as qualified beneficiaries in the public sector.
The ads and postings show a pattern of stirring up anger among different groups, encouraging support for then-candidate Donald Trump in the 2016 presidential race, and discouraging support for his rival Hillary Clinton.
Before we elect the neighborhood “tambay” or the ambitious political startup on May 14, know how much funds and powers we’re entrusting them with.
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