Calida to opposition solons: 'Move on' from quo warranto

MANILA, Philippines — It is time for the opposition lawmakers to move on from the quo warranto petition, Solicitor General Jose Calida said on Tuesday.

Calida hailed the dismissal of the impeachment complaint filed “Magnificent Seven” against seven Supreme Court justices, that included Chief Justice Teresita de Castro.

“The OSG and the Filipino people laud the House Committee on Justice for junking these frivolous impeachment case against the ‘True Magnificent Seven’ who just performed their solemn duty of interpreting the Constitution even in the face of strong political and social currents,” Calida said in a statement.

“The decisive action of Chairman Salvador Leachon and the 23 members of the Committee preserved the independence of the Judiciary from baseless attacks of opposition legislators,” Calida added.

Earlier on Tuesday, the House of Representatives justice committee voted 23-1 to junk the consolidated ouster complaints for being insufficient in substance.

READ: House panel junks impeach raps vs De Castro, other SC justices for lack of substance

The impeachment raps were filed by opposition lawmakers Reps. Edcel Lagman (Albay), Gary Alejano (Magdalo party-list) and Teddy Baguilat Jr. (Ifugao).

They claimed that De Castro, Associate Justices Diosdado Peralta, Lucas Bersamin, Francis Jardeleza, Noel Tijam, Andres Reyes Jr. and Alexander Gesmundo committed culpable violation of the Constitution and betrayal of public trust when they granted the quo warranto petition against former Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno.

“Move on,” Calida told the lawmakers.

“Will you now turn your ire on the committee members because they did not follow your flawed constitutional interpretation?” the solicitor general challenged.

Calida earlier said that he is confident that the impeachment raps will not prosper as the justices merely performed their duty as arbiters of constitutional issues.

He added that the lawmakers should have come to terms with the landmark ruling as “by constitutional design, this is how our government should work.”

READ: Calida: Impeachment rap vs justices 'will not see light of day'

De Castro said that she has no time to spare for the impeachment cases. “My schedule is full,” she added.

De Castro will retire from the SC on October 8.

READ: De Castro on impeachment rap: No time to be 'distracted'

— Kristine Joy Patag