THE Supreme Court (SC) is scheduled to resume via Zoom the oral arguments on the 37 petitions seeking to declare as unconstitutional the Anti-Terrorism Act (ATA) of 2020.
In a two-page advisory, the SC said that the oral arguments would resume on April 27 (Tuesday) at 2:30 p.m.
Unlike the previous oral arguments where all the justices and a limited number of lawyers from both parties were physically present in the session hall, this time the parties would be holding the arguments through the Zoom platform.
The SC decided to hold the oral arguments via Zoom as the National Capital Region (NCR) and its nearby provinces remain under the modified enhanced community quarantine due to rising Covid-19 infections.
“Given the current public health situation, the reminder of the oral arguments shall be conducted through videoconferencing. This arrangement shall be pro hac vice vis-à-vis these consolidated cases. Personal appearance before the Court En Banc remains to be the primary mode of conducting oral arguments,” the SC said.
Those who would attend the videoconferencing through the Zoom platform are the SC justices, court personnel, counsels and amici curiae.
The parties may access the live audio stream that would be provided by the SC Public Information Office.
They are limiting access to the video platform to three lawyers per petition, and seven lawyers for the Office of the Solicitor General (OSG). National Security Adviser (NSA) Hermogenes Esperon Jr. may also attend the oral arguments via Zoom.
This prompted the Court to extend anew the physical closure of all courts in areas under the ECQ.
SC first postponed the oral arguments last February 23, followed by three consecutive postponements on March 9, March 16, and March 23, and the latest is April 6.
Newly appointed Chief Justice Alexander Gesmundo would preside over the continuation of the oral argument owing to the retirement of Chief Justice Diosdado Peralta last March 27.
The SC is expected to hear the arguments of the Office of the Solicitor General, the chief government counsel of the government against the 37 petitions. x
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