The Supreme Court on Tuesday opened the oral arguments for and against the petitions that questioned the constitutionality of Republic Act No. 10153, the law postponing the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) elections to May 2013. The SC has consolidated the seven petitions assailing the law, which was signed by President Benigno Aquino III last June 30. The direct petitioners and respondents in the consolidated case are:
The group led by Datu Michael Abas Kida versus the Senate of the Philippines, et al., Basari D. Mapupunta versus Commission on Elections chair Sixto Brillantes, et al., House Minority Leader and Albay Rep. Edcel Lagman versus Executive Sec. Paquito Ochoa Jr., et al., Almarin Centi Tillah versus Comele, et al., Election lawyer Romulo Macalintal versus the Comelec, et al., Louis Biraogo versus Comelec, et al., and Jacinto Paras versus Ochoa, et al. Veteran lawyer and former University of the Philippines (UP) law dean Pacifico Agabin will argue for the Kida and Mapupunta petitions while former Senate President Aquilino "Nene" Pimentel Jr. will argue for the Tillah petition. Lagman will himself face the high court justices, while lawyer Edgardo Carlo Vistan will argue on behalf of Macalintal, a veteran election lawyer. The respondents in the case — Ochoa, the Comelec, the Senate and the House of Representatives — will be represented by Solicitor General Jose Anselmo Cadiz. The oral arguments will focus on how RA 10153 relates to the 1987 Constitution, RA 9054 or the Organic Act of ARMM, and RA 9333. The ARMM elections were supposed to be held last August 8. — Sophia Dedace/KBK, GMA News 
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