The Supreme Court has designated its new representatives in the Senate Electoral Tribunal and the House of Representatives Electoral Tribunal—two constitutional bodies tasked to resolve post-election protest in the Senate and congressional polls, respectively.
In Special Order No. 2589 signed by Chief Justice Teresita Leonardo-De Castro, the High Court assigned incumbent senior members to represent the SC in the both electoral tribunals.
Senior Associate Justice Antonio Carpio has been assigned as chairperson of the SET, with Justices Lucas Bersamin and Estela Perlas-Bernabe as members.
Associate Justice Diosdado Peralta has been designated as chairperson of the HRET, with Associate Justices Mariano Del Castillo and Marvic Leonen as members.
Currently, the SET is hearing the election protest filed by Presidential Adviser for Political Affairs Francis Tolentino against detained Senator Leila De Lima.
Tolentino is contesting the proclamation of De Lima as the 12th elected senator in the May 2016 elections. Tolentino placed 13th in the last elections.
Meanwhile, in Special Order No. 2590, the SC designated Carpio to head the SC en banc raffle Committee, with Bersamin and Peralta as members.
For the Division Raffle of the SC, Peralta has been designated as chairman while Del Castillo and Leonen will sit as members.