Sereno says her ouster marks a new beginning

Despite the Supreme Court’s ruling to unseat her, newly ousted Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno maintained a spirit of triumph as she said that voting her out does not mean she lost, as this is only the beginning.

Just minutes after the SC made public Sereno’s removal, the chief magistrate told her supporters that she still won.

The quo warranto petition was granted by a vote of 8-6.

Sereno explained that only eight were needed to vote in a quo warranto case because the six were supposed to inhibit according to the rules of compulsory inhibition, with this, she said “after all, we still won.

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Sereno earlier urged her colleagues Associate Justices Teresita De Castro, Diosdado Peralta, Francis Jardeleza, Noel Tijam, Samuel Martires, and Lucas Bersamin to inhibit as they are biased against her.

Sereno said this is the first time in history that majority of the SC has ousted one of their colleagues, she added that the high tribunal explicitly took the Senate’s power to rule such case.

Addressing her supporters, Sereno said, “Today is not a downfall but a victory because you have all shown that you are on the side of the truth fighting against the powerful. As long as we all stand for what is right, we will never lose. Today is not the end but only the beginning.”

DAILY NEWS ROUND UP FOR 05/ 11 /18