MANILA, Philippines — It is still a win for newly ousted Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno.
This is despite the historic Supreme Court ruling, which declared “void” Sereno’s appointment as the country’s 24th chief magistrate.
Voting 8-6 in a special en banc session Friday, the high court granted the quo warranto petition filed by Solicitor General Jose Calida, which sought to remove Sereno from office.
“Maraming salamat po sa Panginoong Diyos pagkat lumawak na po ang ating laban. Walo po ang dapat lamang bumoto sa kaso ng quo warranto dahil ang anim ay dapat nag-inhibit ayon sa rules ng compulsory inhibition. Kaya kung tutuusin, panalo po tayo,” a defiant Sereno said when she addressed her supporters minutes after the decision was released.
She earlier asked six of her colleagues—Associate Justices Teresita De Castro, Diosdado Peralta, Francis Jardeleza, Noel Tijam, Samuel Martires and Lucas Bersamin—to inhibit, citing perceived bias against her.
Sereno once again insisted that only the Senate, as impeachment court, can remove her from office.
“Ito po ay una sa ating kasaysayan na inalis ng mayorya ng Korte Suprema ang isa sa kanilang kasamahan. Inalis nila ang tanging karapatan ng Senado. Tahasan nilang nilabag ang sinumpaang tungkuling pag-ingatan ang saligang batas at winasak ang hudikatura,” she said.
A cheery Sereno expressed gratitude to her supporters and urged them to be more vigilant.
“Kaya ang araw na ito ay hindi kabiguan kundi isang tagumpay sapagkat pinakita niyong lahat ang inyong lakas na kayo ay nasa panig ng katotohanan laban sa makapangyarihan. Habang tumitindig tayo para sa matuwid, hindi tayo kailanman magiging talunan. Ang araw na ito ay hindi katapusan kundi simula lamang,” she said.
Sereno added: “Hindi na tayo mananatiling tahimik. Dahil ang pananahimik ay katumbas sa kanilang pang-aabuso.”
It only took the high tribunal two months to rule on Calida’s plea, filed on March 5, which challenged the legality of Sereno’s appointment to the Supreme Court.
Those who voted in favor of the ouster were Associate Justices Tijam, De Castro, Bersamin, Jardeleza, Martires, Peralta, Andres Reyes Jr. and Alexander Gesmundo.
The dissenting votes were Associate Justices Estela Bernabe, Alfredo Benjamin Caguioa, Presbitero Jose Velasco Jr., Mariano Del Castillo, Marvic Leonen, Antonio Carpio.
In a statement Friday, Calida said the high court's decision is an “epitome of judicial independence.”
The camp of the ousted chief justice would appeal the Supreme Court’s ruling.
This is the first time that the high court unseated its colleague on its own. Sereno was the second chief justice to be removed from office after Renato Corona was ousted in 2012 through impeachment.