CJ calls for rule of law
CHIEF Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno rallied a crowd of young law students, lawyers and judges during a talk on judicial reform Friday morning at the University of Baguio.
The embattled Chief Justice called for vigilance and a concerted effort to tell the truth which she described to be blurring in the time of fake news.
Sereno in a message to sectors calling for her resignation said "to those who have asked me to resign, I will not. I do not owe anyone the duty to resign. I owe the people the duty to tell my story."
The chief magistrate’s decision to take an indefinite leave was a consensus of all the justices present during the en
banc session last Tuesday.
Sereno, who was appointed by former President Benigno Simeon Aquino III in 2012, has 12 more years left in her term.
"I make a special appeal to please not to fall prey to a dimming of history."
Sereno in her speech asked the audience to shun historical revisionism and remember the heroism of Filipino forefathers.
The chief justice also allowed the crowd to shoot questions ranging from her indefinte leave and anticipated trial she said in all likelihood will happen and challenged "bilisan na po natin...simulan na natin."
Sereno advised law students to persevere and use the truth as their allay to let the truth to prevail.
"Gamitin niyo ang facts, get references, magsipag sipag kayo. Kung alam niyo ang totoo, yun ang panindigan niyo," said Sereno.
The SC en banc arrived at a consensus during their session February 27, the Chief Justice should take an indefinite leave due to "several reasons."
According to the en banc, after Sereno consulted the two most senior justices, "the Chief Justice herself announced that she was taking an indefinite leave with the amendment that she start the leave on Thursday, March 1, 2018."
It added: "The Chief Justice did not request for the rescheduling of her wellness leave."
The court issued the statement to clarify statement earlier issued by Sereno's spokesperson Jojo Lacanilao, who said the Chief Justice was taking her scheduled "wellness leave" in advance in order to prepare for the expected Senate trial of the impeachment complaint against her.
In its statement, the court en banc said it regrets the confusion that the statements of the spokespersons of Sereno have caused.
The statements, they said, "seriously damaged the integrity of judiciary."
"In the ordinary course of events, the Court expected the Chief Justice to cause the announcement only of what was really agreed upon without any modification or embellishment. This matter shall be dealt with in a separate proceeding," it added.
The justices who signed the statement are Senior Associate Justice Antonio Carpio, Associate Justice Presbitero Velasco, Teresita Leonardo-De Castro, Diosdado Peralta, Lucas Bersamin, Mariano del Castillo, Estela PerlasBernabe, Marvic Leonen, Francis Jardaleza, Alfredo Benjamin Caguioa, Samuel Martires, Noel Tijam, Andres Reyes Jr. and Alexander Gesmundo.
Justice Alfredo Benjamin Caguioa did not sign the statement. He was on leave.
Carpio will be the acting Chief Justice while Sereno is on leave.
In a separate statement, the Chief Justice confirmed that she had agreed to go on an indefinite leave.
Sereno said had to qualify her leave according to the provi- sions of Rule 7, Section 6 (c) of the Internal Rules of the Supreme Court as the rules do not contain any provision on indefinite leave.
The said provision states that: "members who are on wellness leave or who are on vacation or sick leave, for at least 15 continuous calendar days shall be exempt from raffle."
Sereno said that although she agreed to go on an indefinite leave, she confirmed that she had requested the Supreme Court to reschedule her wellness leave to study the Rules of Court. With a report from SunStar Philippines