SC may rule on Sereno ouster petition in May, Carpio says

MANILA, Philippines — Acting Chief Justice Antonio Carpio said on Thursday that the Supreme Court may rule on the ouster petition against Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno in May.

In a report by The STAR, Carpio was quoted as saying: “We hope to decide as soon as we can. By next month, we should be able to decide on it.”

Acting CJ Antonio Carpio says they intend to decide on the quo warranto case against CJ on-leave Maria Lourdes Sereno next month. @PhilippineStar

— Janvic Mateo (@jvrmateoSTAR) April 19, 2018

The acting chief justice was interviewed on the sidelines of the launching of Find Justice PH, a mobile application that gives users access to free legal services and court information.

Members of the high court are in Baguio for its summer session. They are expected to return to Manila for a special en banc session on April 26 for the announcement of the results of the 2017 bar exam.

The month of May is the high court’s writing break.

Reports citing unnamed sources, however, said that the magistrates are set to hold another special en banc session on May 17 to deliberate on Solicitor General Jose Calida’s quo warranto petition against Sereno.

The House of Representatives, where an impeachment complaint against Sereno is pending, resumes sessions on May 15. House Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez (Davao del Norte) has said that the PDP-Laban-dominated chamber will within two weeks of coming back from break.

The SC held a one-day oral argument hearing at the SC Session Hall in Baguio on April 10.

Calida, in his petition, challenged the legality of Sereno's appointment to the high court. The government's chief legal counsel said the chief justice failed the "integrity test" when she failed to meet the Judicial and Bar Council's submission requirement on Statements of Assets, Liabilities and Net Worth.

Sereno as well as representatives of the JBC, which screens applicants to posts in the judiciary, have said she was deemed to have "substantially complied" with the submission requirement.

READ: At Sereno ouster hearing, Justice Leonen asks: Can SALN attest to one's integrity? | Sereno, De Castro clash at ouster hearing

Sereno, who has been on leave from her office starting March 1, personally defended her qualifications and defended the validity of her appointment before her colleagues in the six-hour debates in Baguio.

The two parties were given until Friday, April 20, to file their respective memoranda. Once these are filed, the case is deemed submitted for resolution. — with report from Janvic Mateo