Wednesday, December 24, 2008 (Philippines)

CEBU. Cebu Gov. Gwen Garcia (above) shares a good laugh with some barangay officials during a meeting of the Liga ng mga Barangay of the province at the CICC. (Allan Cuizon) THE Supreme Court (SC) issued yesterday a writ of prohibition that stops the Senate and any of its committees from conducting any inquiry in aid of legislation on the “Hello Garci” tapes. In these tapes, President Arroyo is heard asking former election commissioner Virgilio Garcillano if she was assured of a one-million lead over the late opposition candidate Fernando Poe Jr. in the 2004 presidential elections. Voting 9-5, with one abstention, majority of the justices ruled to grant the petition of two retired justices of the Court of Appeals (CA), filed in September 2007, seeking to bar the Senate from conducting its legislative inquiry. [full story]