After a streak of wins as the country’s top lawyer, Jose Calida, in a way, failed to win his case for the first time since assuming the role of Solicitor General.
On Tuesday, June 23, the Supreme Court en banc dismissed Calida’s quo warranto petition against ABS-CBN for being moot and academic.
“I was able to confirm with Chief Justice Peralta that the Supreme Court dismissed today during their En Banc meeting the Quo Warranto petition filed by the Solicitor General against ABS CBN Corporation on the ground of mootness,” said Supreme Court spokesperson Brian Hosaka.
In February, the Solicitor General sought to void ABS-CBN’s franchise over allegations of a constitutional violation with regards to its PDR offerings and TV Plus’ pay per view channel KBO. ABS-CBN’s franchise however expired on May 4 prior to the Supreme Court’s decision.
Meanwhile, prior to this first loss at the Supreme Court, Calida boasted of his spotless record.
Among the high profile cases that he won at the high court was the legality of the former dictator Ferdinand Marcos’ burial at the Libingan ng mga Bayani. Another case he won was the court’s decision to favor the continued detention of Senator Leila de Lima who was charged with drug-related cases in a regional trial court and not in the Sandiganbayan. The declaration, and extension of martial law in Mindanao, the closure of Boracay Island for rehabilitation and the junking by the Court of Appeals of rights group Karapatan’s plea for a writ of amparo and habeas data.
Calida was also victorious with the withdrawal by fisherfolk from Palawan and Zambales of a petition for a writ of kalikasan, meant to compel government agencies to enforce environmental laws and protect marine life in the West Philippine Sea.
His biggest case was the removal from office of former Chief Justice Ma. Lourdes Serene via a quo warranto petition.
Now that he experienced his first set back at the SC, will this be a start to Calida’s downfall?
