Plain delicadeza, a sense of fairness, and the greater interest of justice should compel the five justices of the Supreme Court who have shown bias against Chief Justice Ma. Lourdes Sereno to inhibit themselves from the quo warranto case against her.
The resentment and the personal and professional enmity that Justices De Castro, Tijam, Jardelezza, Peralta and Bersamin have against Sereno was there for all to see during the House Justice Committee deliberations on Sereno’s impeachment. The public can never be convinced of their objectivity and fairness in judging the quo warranto case.
More than this, the Supreme Court’s duty to adhere to the constitutional provisions on impeachment and the system of checks and balances in government leaves them no choice but to dismiss the case altogether.
It is as clear as day, and the President has already confirmed it, that he is behind the move to unseat Sereno. He has declared her his enemy and has promised to use everything at his disposal to remove her from her post.
The Supreme Court should not allow itself to be used as an instrument for Duterte’s tyrannical plot to gain absolute control of the Judiciary. The quo warranto case circumvents the Constitution and undermines the system of checks and balances by making impeachable officials like Sereno vulnerable to harassment and intimidation from irrational, angry demagogues like Duterte.
The Court’s integrity and independence already suffered a huge setback during the mockery committed by the five justices at the House Justice Committee hearings. The Court will seal its own destruction if they allow the five to participate and the quo warranto petition to prosper and lead to Sereno’s unconstitutional ouster.
In the final analysis, it is not Sereno that is on trial. It is the Supreme Court itself, with people judging whether the justices live up to their duty of upholding the Constitution and the law, or be reduced to Duterte’s minions.
Movement Against Tyranny