MANILA, Philippines — Opposition lawmakers on Thursday morning has asked the Supreme Court to be allowed to participate in Solicitor General Jose Calida's ouster petition against Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno.
The Makabayan bloc has filed a 28-page opposition-in-intervention petition in connection with Calida's quo warranto action against Sereno.
They asked the SC to dismiss the petition as "it intentionally derails the ongoing impeachment process in Congress, and it attempts to wrest the constitutional power away from the Congress."
Reps. Carlos Zarate (Makabayan party-list), Antonio Tinio and Francisca Castro (ACT Teachers party-list), Emmi De Jesus and Arlene Brosas (Gabriela Women's party-list), Ariel Casilao (Anakpawis party-list) and Sarah Jane Elago (Kabataan party-list) signed as petitioners.
Joining them were Francisco Alcuaz, Bonifacio Ilagan, Ret. Col. George Rabusa, former Sen. Rene Saguisag, Bishop Broderick Pabillo, Renato Reyes Jr., Kaye Ann Legaspi and Ephraim Cortez.
The group stressed that Sereno, as sitting chief justice, could only be removed from her office through impeachment.
The petitioners told the SC: "The removal of such impeachable public official by means other than impeachment runs afoul to the constitution and, in the case of a member of the SC, the fundamental principles of judicial independence and separation of powers."
Calida, in his petition, has asked the SC to nullify Sereno's 2012 appointment as chief magistrate for her alleged failure to meet the Judicial and Bar Council's Statement of Liabilities and Net Worth requirement.
READ: Sereno asks SC to junk quo warranto plea for lack of merit
'Mockery'
They also pointed out that the allegations cited in the petition "were already considered and passed upon by the Committee on Justice when it found probable cause to impeach Sereno."
"Petitioner [Calida] should not be allowed to make a mockery of the impeachment process in Congress by hijacking the same with the mere filing of a quo warranto petition against Sereno," the petitioners added.
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The House of Representatives justice panel has already found probable cause to impeach Sereno on March 8.
On March 19, the justice panel approved the six draft articles of impeachment against the chief justice.
READ: House panel approves articles of impeachment vs Sereno
The House plenary is set to vote on the draft articles before it can be elevated to the Senate that will act as the impeachment court.
The Makabayan bloc, in their petition, said: "It is undeniable that Congress has the sole jurisdiction and power over the issue of whether or not an impeachable public official such as Respondent should be 'ouster' or removed from office."
Sereno, for her part, has reiterated that she would not step down. She stressed that she should be given her day in court to refute all allegations thrown against her.
The chief justice has been on leave since March 1.