MANILA – Maria Lourdes Sereno remained optimistic as her camp planned to challenge the landmark ruling that removed her as the Supreme Court’s (SC) chief justice not through impeachment but by a quo warranto petition.
In an 8-6 vote during a special en banc session on Friday, the SC justices have granted the petition that Solicitor General Jose Calida filed seeking Sereno’s ouster.
Speaking to her supporters outside of SC office in Manila, Sereno said, “Walo lang dapat ang bumoto dahil ang anim dapat ang mag-inhibit. Kaya kung tutuusin, panalo tayo. Ngunit ayaw mag-inhibit ang dapat mag-inhibit, [kaya] ganyan ang nangyari.”
Those who voted in favor of Calida’s petition were associate justices Teresita Leonardo-de Castro, Diosdado Peralta, Andres Reyes Jr., Lucas Bersamin, Samuel Martires, Alexander Gesmundo, Noel Tijam, and Francis Jardeleza.
Those who voted against it were associate justices Antonio Carpio, Marvic Leonen, Presbitero Velasco Jr., Mariano del Castillo, Estela Perez-Bernabe, and Benjamin Alfredo Caguioa.
Sereno has earlier asked for the inhibition of six SC justices – Martires, De Castro, Peralta, Bersamin, Jardeleza, and Tijam – for being bias toward her.
Majority of the SC justices believed that Sereno’s appointment as Chief Magistrate was void from the start because of her failure to file her statements of assets liabilities and net worth (SALN).
The SC ruling cited Section 1, Article 11 of the Constitution, stating that a public officer must “serve with utmost responsibility, integrity, loyalty, and efficiency, act with patriotism and justice, and lead modest lives.”
“(Sereno’s) failure to file her SALNs is a clear indication of dishonesty, lack of probity and lack of integrity. Her ineligibility could not be cured by her nomination and later on appointment as chief justice,” it added.
But Sereno said, “Ang araw na ito ay hindi kabiguan kundi isang tagumpay sapagkat nakikita niyong lahat ang inyong lakas na kayo ay nasa panig ng katotohanan laban sa makapangyarihan. Habang tumitindig tayo para sa matuwid hindi tayo magiging talunan.”
She added, “Sinasabi ko sa inyo, ang mga buwan ng panalangin at paninindigan at paghihirap nating lahat ay mayroong malaking saysay. Salamat po sa Panginoong Diyos pagka’t lumawak na po ang ating laban.”
Sereno’s lawyer Josa Deinla, meanwhile, said that it is fitting to note the close 8-6 decision.
“Hindi rin namin ikinagulat iyong luamabas na boto sa en banc kasi matagal na namin nababalitaan, umuugong iyong mga numero na yari na raw ang decision ng ating mahistrado,” Deinla said. “Indikasyon ito na sana kung nag-inhibit ang mga mahistradong nagpakita ng bias, sana na-ensure na impartial at objective at mananaig ang tama.
Deinla added that they are “seriously considering filing a motion for reconsideration since it was a very close call.”
“We know for a fact that a few times the SC has changed its mind in high-profile cases. Umaasa tayo na magababago pa ng isip ang ating mga mahistrado sa isyu na ito,” she said.
Sereno became the first female Chief Justice of the Philippines in 2012. She is also the second youngest to head the judiciary when she was appointed by then president Benigno Aquino III, replacing impeached CJ Renato Corona./PN
