Municipal Trial Court in Cities, Cotabato City

02/12/2025

02/12/2025

02/12/2025

𝑷𝒊𝒍𝒊𝒑𝒊𝒏𝒂𝒔, 𝒘𝒆 𝒂𝒓𝒆 𝒐𝒏 𝒂 𝒋𝒐𝒖𝒓𝒏𝒆𝒚!

The dream destination is a VAW-free country, and our commitment today determines where we will be tomorrow.

As the Philippine Commission on Women (PCW) spearheads the national 18-day Campaign to End Violence Against Women, we call on every Filipino to move from awareness to action, from advocacy to activism, and from watchers to warriors.

This is more than an invitation; it is a shared national responsibility to ensure every woman and girl lives free from fear, abuse, and violence.

A VAW-free Philippines gives us the following signals for action:
• 𝗦𝗧𝗢𝗣 violence against women. Women’s rights are human rights.
• 𝗟𝗢𝗢𝗞 beyond silence. Do not judge a story you don’t fully know.
• 𝗟𝗜𝗦𝗧𝗘𝗡 with compassion. Put yourself in the shoes of victim-survivors, and champion their right to safety, dignity, and justice.

Ending VAW rests on all of us. Let us rise as one, stand UNiTEd, and build a VAW-free Philippines!

05/11/2025

The (SC) has ruled that a candidate’s low vote count in past elections does not automatically make them a nuisance candidate in future elections.

In a Decision written by Chief Justice Alexander G. Gesmundo, the SC 𝘌𝘯 𝘉𝘢𝘯𝘤 annulled the November 29, 2024 Resolutions of the Commission on Elections’ (COMELEC) which cancelled the certificate of candidacy (COC) of Subair Guinthum Mustapha (Mustapha) in the 2025 senatorial elections.

Mustapha filed his COC under the Workers and Peasants Party (WPP). The COMELEC Law Department moved to declare him a nuisance candidate, arguing that his candidacy was primarily a distraction, especially since he received only 5,387 votes—just 2.01% of the total votes for the Lanao del Sur Representative seat in the 2022 elections.

Mustapha claimed that he is a qualified and serious candidate for senator, highlighting his academic credentials, leadership roles, dedication to labor advocacy, and governance platform.

The SC ruled that there is no direct link between candidates’ seriousness to run for office and their vote count in previous elections.

The SC warned that if the COMELEC could declare someone a nuisance candidate simply because of low votes in past elections or perceived inability to win, it would be exercising a power reserved for voters on election day.

In Mustapha’s case, the SC found that his low votes in the 2022 elections do not prove he lacked seriousness to run for senator in 2025.

The SC noted he submitted evidence to show his genuine intent, such as his membership in WPP, a recognized and accredited national political party with various policies on labor and other social justice causes.

While the SC recognized the efforts of the COMELEC to w**d out nuisance candidates, it reminded the poll body to exercise caution and avoid using grounds already ruled as invalid by the Court, such as lack of financial capacity, to mount a national campaign or perceived unpopularity.

Although the May 2025 election results had rendered Mustapha’s petition moot, the SC still decided the case as the issue could again arise in future elections.

Read the full text of the Press Release at https://sc.judiciary.gov.ph/?p=154935.

Read the full text of the Decision at https://sc.judiciary.gov.ph/?p=154903.

Read the Concurring Opinion of Senior Associate Justice Marvic M.V.F. Leonen at https://sc.judiciary.gov.ph/?p=154907.

Copying of this content is subject to the SC PIO’s Credit Attribution Policy: https://sc.judiciary.gov.ph/credit-attribution-policy/.

12/03/2025

Copies of recent pleadings involving public interest are regularly uploaded to the Public Pleadings page of the website.

VISIT https://sc.judiciary.gov.ph/public-pleadings/ or SCAN the QR code for the latest upload:

- In the Matter of the Petition For Writ of Habeas Corpus of Rodrigo Roa Duterte, Sebastian Z. Duterte v. Executive Secretary Bersamin, et al. (G.R. No. 278763)

- Veronica A. Duterte, on behalf of Rodrigo R. Duterte v. Executive Secretary Bersamin, et al. (G.R. No. 278768)

- Duterte and Dela Rosa v. Executive Secretary Bersamin, et al. (G.R. No. 278747)

- In Re: Arrest of Former President Rodrigo Roa Duterte: Rep. Paolo Z. Duterte v. Executive Secretary Bersamin, et al. (G.R. No. 278798)

Read or download the pleadings:
- G.R. No. 278763 athttps://sc.judiciary.gov.ph/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/278763.pdf

- G.R. No. 278768 athttps://sc.judiciary.gov.ph/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/278768.pdf

- G.R. No. 278747 athttps://sc.judiciary.gov.ph/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/278747-1.pdf

- G.R. No. 278798 athttps://sc.judiciary.gov.ph/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/278798.pdf