Case Digest: Abbas v. SET

ISSUE:  Whether or not it is constitutional to inhibit all involved senators, six of which are sitting in the tribunal 

FACTS:  On 09 October 1987 petitioner filed before Senate Electoral Tribunal an election contest against 22 candidates of the LABAN who were proclaimed senators-elect. With the exemption of Senator Estrada, the senators filed for motion for disqualification or inhibition from the hearing and resolution on the ground that all of them are interested parties to said case. 

DECISION:  Dismissed 

RATIO DECIDENDI:  The Supreme Court dismissed the petition for certiorari for lack of merit and affirmed the decision of the Tribunal to not let Senator-Members to inhibit or disqualify himself, rather, just let them refrain from participating in the resolution of a case where he sincerely feels that his personal interests or biases would stand in the way of an objective and impartial judgment.