Sereno rejects calls to resign anew

MANILA, Philippines — Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno has again rejected calls for her resignation amid the impeachment complaint against her in Congress and the imminent move of the executive branch for her ouster by colleagues in the Supreme Court (SC).

Lawyer Josa Deinla, one of Sereno’s spokespersons, described the threat of lawyer Lorenzo Gadon to file more cases against the Chief Justice as acts of desperation.

“The Chief Justice cannot be hostaged to threats that are built entirely on lies... She has made it clear since the beginning of this well-orchestrated but pathetic telenovela masquerading as an impeachment proceeding that she will not resign and will continue to dispense her sworn duty under the Constitution,” Deinla said in a statement over the weekend.

“She is looking forward to defending herself in the Senate when it convenes as an impeachment court and where, hopefully, her basic and constitutional rights will be recognized and respected,” Deinla said.

Gadon, complainant in the impeachment case, earlier threatened to file more cases against Sereno and court officials accused of covering up her alleged illegal acts in the high tribunal.

“I am calling on Chief Justice Sereno to resign because it’s obvious that you violated the law. You violated the Constitution. You committed several irregularities in the SC,” Gadon was quoted as saying in a press conference last week.

Should Sereno refuse to resign soon, he said he would file graft charges against her for the purchase of a Toyota Land Cruiser worth P5 million, hiring of an information technology consultant who allegedly received hefty pay and allowances and the alleged delay on the release of benefits for surviving spouses of deceased judges.

Gadon said he also plans to file cases against SC deputy court administrators Raul Villanueva and Thelma Bahia, deputy clerk of court Anna Li Papa-Gombio, Office of Administrative Services assistant chief Ma. Carina Cunanan, Fiscal Management and Budget Office chief Corazon Ferrer-Flores, lawyers Michael Ocampo and Jocelyn Fabian, IT consultant Helen Macasaet, Sereno’s staff head Ma. Lourdes Oliveros and former staff head and now Sandiganbayan Justice Zaldy Trespeses.

The camp of Sereno belittled Gadon’s threat, calling it a “firecracker dud.”

“This latest stunt by Gadon smacks of fear and desperation, and proves that he has completely lost faith in the impeachment proceedings in the House of Representatives,” Deinla said.

“Her detractors are expanding their weak ouster move to professional civil servants who refuse to lie and toe the line of those wishing to see the Chief Justice unjustly and unfairly removed from the SC. This deserves nothing but condemnation for using them as political tools in the impeachment,” she added.

Last month, Gadon filed before the Department of Justice charges of violations of Republic Act 6713 (Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards for Public Officials and Employees) and RA 3019 (Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act) against Sereno.

Apart from the criminal cases, the Office of the Solicitor General (OSG) will file next month a quo warranto petition to challenge the legal basis of Sereno’s appointment as chief justice in 2012 and could put her fate in the hands of her fellow justices in the SC – most of whom have testified in the impeachment proceedings.

The STAR reported earlier that the OSG has drafted the petition that would seek her removal from office based on the request of suspended lawyer Eligio Mallari of the Volunteers Against Crime and Corruption.

Mallari said Sereno should be removed from the SC post due to non-eligibility after it was found in the impeachment hearings that she did not meet the 10-year statement of assets, liabilities and net worth (SALN) requirement for the post.

If granted by the court, Sereno could be ordered to vacate her post without the need to complete the impeachment proceedings in Congress.

Sereno’s camp, however, dismissed such threats and argued that she could only be removed through impeachment.