3 SC justices express frustration over Sereno’s actions

FILE: Chief Justice Maria Lourdes P. Aranal Sereno. (Photo by Center for Strategic & International Studies/Flickr)

MANILA — The tide is turning against Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno as three magistrates of the Supreme Court (SC) have expressed frustration over her questionable actions which allegedly transgressed the powers of the court en banc.

During the resumption of the impeachment hearing against Sereno on Monday, Associate Justice Teresita De Castro said Sereno’s actions from the time she assumed office “showed no respect or courtesy” to the court en banc.

De Castro said she has been repeatedly calling out Sereno for her actions without the approval of the SC en banc, but her calls fell on deaf ears.

“Limang taon na po paulit-ulit na akong nagsasbi sa kanya. Pero hindi pa rin siya tumitigil sa paglabag niya doon sa dapat sana ipinipinaalam niya sa en banc. Hanggang kailan kami magtitiis?,” De Castro said.

De Castro has earlier testified before the impeachment committee, confirming that Sereno not only altered a temporary restraining order (TRO) on the partylist proclamation in 2013 but also created the Judicial Decentralized Office in Region 7 contrary to resolutions the high court had approved.

Retired Associate Justice Arturo Brion accused the top magistrate of committing misrepresentation of the high court.

“What she committed was a misrepresentation. We are a very small group on the Supreme Court. 15 lang kami. Sasabihin ko sa kanya wala namang ganyanan. You are getting what you want through devious means. That is not right,” Brion said.

“Yung maliit na patak, unti-unti, pag inipon mo yung maliit na patak na yan, yan ay pagdating ng panahon, yan ay magiging agos. Ang agos, magiging baha,” he added.
Associate Justice Francis Jardeleza said he does not “disagree with the characterizations” of
Sereno.

“The fact that individual members of the Court are acting so as in today shows the En Banc is very concerned about its reputation and we are here to make sure that after these proceedings, the people will have continued faith in the En Banc,” Jardeleza said. (PNA)