Sereno hits 'shortcuts' to get around Constitution, denial of due process
March 7, 2018 | 4:14pm
Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno is facing an impeachment complaint currently pending at the House of Representatives, and a petition for quo warranto proceeding at the high court.
Edd Gumban
MANILA, Philippines — Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno on Wednesday slammed "shortcuts" to get around the Constitution, seemingly a veiled criticism against the latest move to void her appointment.
"The current state of the nation is one where perceived enemies of the dominant order are considered fair game for harassment, intimidation and persecution, where shortcuts are preferred over adherence to constitutional guarantees of human rights, including the denial of due process," Sereno said during a forum at St. Scholastica's College in Manila.
"The time will come when our people will realize that impromptu, extemporized, unprepared, unthought out plans of action, that run contrary to the structured way the Constitution designed accountability harms our nation’s long-term future."
Although the chief justice did not make a direct reference, the remark seemed to be aimed at the petition seeking the nullification of her appointment to the high court.
Sereno, who is currently on leave from office, faced the public a day after the Supreme Court ordered her to file a comment on the petition for quo warranto proceeding filed by Solicitor General Jose Calida.
The petition was made in response to a letter filed by suspended lawyer Eligio Mallari and Volunteers Against Crime and Corruption lawyer Manuelito Luna—both known allies of President Rodrigo Duterte.
Earlier, Sereno's camp slammed the quo warranto petition as a "shortcut" to oust Sereno. Lawyer Jojo Lacanilao, Sereno's spokesperson, insisted that only an impeachment trial to be conducted by both houses of Congress is allowed under the Constitution.
Calida, however, said that the quo warranto proceeding runs on a different ground against the ongoing impeachment proceeding against Sereno.
Some of the senators balked at Calida's petition.
Senate President Aquilino Pimentel III, a party-mate of Duterte, said: "If you invent some other proceeding which will result in the removal from office, then that should violate that provision in the Constitution."
Meanwhile, opposition Sen. Risa Hontiveros said that the petition was an affront to the Senate's integrity.
The House of Representatives' justice panel is set to vote on the existence of probable cause in the impeachment case against Sereno on Thursday, March 7.
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