13 senators back resolution questioning SC ruling on quo warranto

MANILA, Philippines — A Senate resolution questioning the Supreme Court's removal of Maria Lourdes Sereno as chief justice has the support of at least 13 members, including Senate President Aquilino Pimentel III.

The resolution, which will be filed on Thursday, expresses the sense of the Senate that the constitution should be followed in removing an impeachable official like the chief justice from office. 

The Supreme Court's removal of Sereno through a quo warrant petition filed by Solicitor General Jose Calida sets "a dangerous precedent that transgresses the exclusive powers of the Legislative branch to initiate, try and decide all cases of impeachment," the resolution also reads.

A resolution, which expresses the sense of a chamber of Congress, is non-binding.

Sen. Risa Hontiveros on Wednesday urged her colleagues to "cross partylines and unite in defending the integrity of the Senate."

Hontiveros, a member of the Senate minority bloc, said: "We cannot issue strong statements on this travesty of the inviolability of the constitution, yet not back it up with decisive action. We must not allow the Senate to be relegated to a hollow institution howling ineffectually at the margins."

Hontiveros said in a statement to media that, aside from her, the following senators have signed the resolution:

• Senate President Pimentel
• Senate President Pro Tempore Ralph Recto
• Senate Minority Leader Franklin Drilon
• Francis Pangilinan
• Antonio Trillanes IV 
• Leila de Lima
• Paolo Benigno "Bam" Aquino IV
• Francis Escudero
• Sherwin Gatchalian
• Joel Villanueva
• Grace Poe
• Juan Edgardo "Sonny" Angara

"This is not about the Chief Justice and the accusations lodged against her. This is about safeguarding the integrity of our democratic institutions, diffusing the tension among the different branches of government and preventing a constitutional crisis," Hontiveros said.

On May 11, the Supreme Court voted 8-6 in a special en banc session to grant the quo warranto petition against Sereno, ousting her from office.

Calida, the government's top lawyer, had argued that Sereno's failure meet the requirement to submit her Statements of Assets, Liabilities and Net Worth to the Judicial and Bar Council when she applied for the chief justice post voided her appointment.

Members of the JBC, speaking at hearings on a separate impeachment complaint against the chief justice, said the council had considered her incomplete submission as "substantial compliance." 

Sereno had skipped hearings at the House of Representatives, saying she would wait for the impeachment trial before the Senate.