As reported at the Supreme Court website, all 15 Supreme Court justices are gearing up to hear a total of 10 cases on oral arguments – marking an unusual, unprecedented 30 days in the Court calendar. Today, September 21, the High Tribunal will hear oral arguments on three cases:

G.R. No. 174177 – PHILCOMSAT Holdings Corporation, et al. vs. Senate Committee on Government Corporations and Public Enterprises.

G.R. No. 174318 – Presidential Commission on Good Government, et al. vs. Richard Gordon, in his capacity as Chairman, and Members of the Committee on Government Corporations and Public Enterprises et al.

G.R. No. 174340 – In the Matter of the Petition for Issuance of Writ of Habeas Corpus of Camilo L. Sabio, petitioner; J. Ermin Ernest Louie R. Miguel, petitioner-relator vs. Honorable Senator Richard Gordon, in his capacity as Chairman, and the Honorable Members of the Committee on Government Corporations and Public Enterprises, et al.

These cases involve the arrest of PCGG Chairman Sabio by the Senate for contempt for refusing to appear in an inquiry into alleged irregularities in some government-sequestered corporations. In an advisory, the Court directed the parties to focus their arguments on these principal issues: 1) whether the publication of the Senate Rules of Procedure Governing Inquiries in Aid of Legislation is essential to their effectivity; if so, whether the Rules have been so published; and whether their posting in the Senate’s website constitutes sufficient publication; (2) whether respondent Senate Committees are vested with the power of contempt; if so, whether they can issue warrants of arrest; (3) whether Section 4 (B) of Executive Order No. 1 is constitutional; and (4) whether respondent Senate Committees complied with the requirements set forth by the Court in Senate v. Ermita.

On 26 September 2006, the High Court will hear the oral arguments of the parties in G.R. No. 174153 (Raul L. Lambino and Erico B. Aumentado, together with 6,327,952 Registered Voters vs. Commission on Elections), and G. R. No. 174299 (Mar-Len Abigal Binay, et al. vs. Commission on Elections, et al.). Lambino and Aumentado, proponents of a “people’s initiative” to amend the 1987 Constitution, are asking the High Court to set aside and declare null and void the Comelec’s resolution dismissing the petition to change the Constitution.

On 3 October 2003, the Supreme Court will hear G.R. Nos. 162335 and 162605 (Severino M. Manotok IV, et al. vs. Heirs of Homer L. Barque), involving the ownership of a large tract of land in Quezon City.

Set for oral arguments on 10 October 2006 are cases relating to the expropriation proceedings and take-over of the Ninoy Aquino International Airport-International Passenger Terminal III:

G. R. No. 169914 – Asia’s Emerging Dragon Corporation vs. Department of Transportation and Communication, et al.
G.R. No. 174166 – Republic of the Philippines, represented by the Department of Transportation and Communications and Manila International Airport Authority vs. Honorable Court of Appeals (Eight Division) and Salacnib Baterina.

On 17 October 2006, the Supreme Court will hear the oral arguments in G.R. No. 167591 (Atty. Venancio Q. Rivera III, et al vs. Commission on Elections, et al.) and G.R. No. 170577 (Anthony D. Dee vs. Commission on Elections, et al). These cases raise issues on term limits of local government officials.

All oral arguments are to be heard at 1 p.m. at the New Session Hall, New SC Building, Padre Faura Street, Manila.

Read the entire article at the Supreme Court website.