Sereno interference in ‘Ilocos 6’ lacks delicadeza: CA justice

FILE: Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno (Photo by Supreme Court of the Philippines)

MANILA — A Court of Appeals (CA) justice on Tuesday said Supreme Court (SC) Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno showed “lack of delicadeza” and “lack of propriety” when she promised protection to the three CA justices locked in a standoff with the House of Representatives over the detention of six Ilocos Norte officials, or the so-called “Ilocos 6.”

The House justice committee tackled the allegation that Sereno “perverted justice” when she met with the presiding justice and associate justices of the CA instructing them not to comply with the processes of the House of Representatives, which earlier issued a show cause order against the appellate justices who had ordered the release of the Ilocos 6.

CA Associate Justice Remedios Salazar Fernando said former CA Presiding Justice Andres Reyes called for an emergency meeting last June 21, 2016 following the latter’s own meeting with Sereno regarding the Ilocos 6 case.

“According to our Presiding Justice, he was given an assurance by the chief justice that the chief justice and the SC will protect the CA,” Fernando said.

Fernando said Sereno advised the three appellate justices to seek relief from the high court.

“According again to our presiding justice, in his talk with the chief justice, she advised the three justices to file a petition before the Supreme Court with a TRO at siya na daw ang bahala. And everybody was silent about it,” she added.

The three CA justices of the special fourth division who handled the habeas corpus case of the Ilocos 6 were Associate Justices Stephen Cruz, Edwin Sorongon, and Nina Antonio-Valenzuela.

Fernando said Sereno’s action showed “lack of delicadeza, or lack of propriety.”

“Propriety dictates that it should not be the case,” she said in response to lawmakers’ queries if Sereno’s action was proper.

Fernando said after the June 21 meeting, Reyes again called the CA justices to another emergency meeting the following day.

“He again informed us that he came from the Supreme Court and he already signed a joint statement with the Chief Justice regarding that particular case. According to him, we will have Mass the next morning and after the Mass, he will host a lunch and the Chief Justice will join us for lunch,” Fernando said.

However, Fernando said there was a specific directive from Sereno for the three CA justices handling the case not to join them for lunch.

“According to our presiding justice, the chief justice instructed our clerk of court to tell them not to include the three because there might be a case filed before the Supreme Court and the chief justice might be asked to inhibit from the case,” she added.

Leyte Rep. Vicente Veloso, vice chairman of the House justice panel, said the chief justice lost impartiality in this matter, hence violating the Code of Judicial Conduct.