Associate justices cite Sereno ‘irregularities’
Associate justices of the Supreme Court cited yesterday instances where Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno did not follow the court’s internal rules.
Associate Justice Teresita Leonardo-de Castro told the House committee on justice that it was “irregular” for Sereno not to include in the raffle Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II’s request to transfer the cases filed against members of the Maute group.
De Castro said this was in violation of the SC’s internal rules as all cases should undergo raffle proceedings.
The magistrate added that she had been advising Sereno to follow the SC’s rules, but to no avail.
“So hanggang kailan kami magtitiis at hanggang kailan namin tatanggapin ang kanyang ginagawa (Until when are we going to suffer and tolerate her actions)?” she asked.
Reynaldo Umali, chairman of the justice committee, retorted, “kung wala pong impeachment, hanggang 2030 (until 2030, if there are no impeachment proceedings).”
Umali’s reply drew laughter from the members of the committee.
The other associate justices who appeared before the House committee Monday - Associate Justices Francis Jardaleza, Noel Tijam and Arturo Brion ( ret) - said they failed to formally deliberate on Aguirre’s request as the issue was only tackled over lunch on June 27, which was unusual.
In the said lunch meeting, the associate justices granted Aguirre’s request for the cases to be transferred from the Cagayan de Oro Regional Trial Court to Taguig.
Tijam said the Chief Justice was correct when she said that the en banc has resolved the case.
He explained that the resolution was signed by majority of the magistrates, however, he also said that the matter did not arise out of a consultation and deliberation.
Associate Justice Jardaleza during the hearing noted the Chief Justice’s failure to heed the request of Court Administrator Midas Marquez to have the Maute cases tried in Taguig RTC.
Jardaleza said on June 5, the Chief Justice circulated materials including the letter of Aguirre, the recommendation of Marquez and another recommendation of SC spokesperson Theodore Te.
Jardaleza said Te’s recommendation contradicted the recommendation of Marquez.
The House committee is deliberating whether there is probable cause to oust Sereno for culpable violation of the constitution, corruption and betrayal of public trust.