Malacañang to IBP: Respect SC decision re Sereno

FILE: The spokesperson, who is also a lawyer, then called on the IBP in an interview with the state-run radio station, Radyo Pilipinas. (ALFRED FRIAS/PRESIDENTIAL PHOTO)

After the official organization of lawyers in the Philippines questioned the ouster of Chief Justice (CJ) Maria Lourdes Sereno, the Palace asked them to respect the decision of the Supreme Court (SC).

Malacañang through Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque, Jr.

cited that eight out of the 14 colleagues of Sereno voted for her ouster, and all 14 also said that her non-filing of her Statement of Assets, Liabilities, and Net Worth (SALN) is really against the Constitution.

The spokesperson, who is also a lawyer, then called on the Integrated Bar of the Philippines (IBP) in an interview with the state-run radio station, Radyo Pilipinas on June 13, Wednesday.

“Ang aking panawagan sa mga kapatid sa hanapbuhay, respetuhin talaga natin ang desisyon ng Korte Suprema. Sa ngayon po, pupuwede siguradong mag-file ng motion for reconsideration, pero sa akin po, wala silang standing ‘no, dahil ang apektado naman dito talaga, si Chief Justice ‘no (I call on to my brothers and sisters in profession, let us respect the decision of the Supreme Court. For now, filing a motion for reconsideration is alright, but for me, they have no standing since the one who is really affected here is the Chief Justice),” he said.

The spokesperson also said that as a lawyer, they should set as an example in respecting the High Court’s decision by not questioning it.

“Pero sa tingin ko po kung ang desisyon ay hindi mababago. Dapat ang mga abogado bilang officers of the court, tayo po iyong unang-una na mag-eengganyo sa ating taumbayan na respetuhin at huwag kuwestiyunin ang mga desisyon ng ating Kataas-taasang Hukuman (But for me, I think the decision will not change. We attorneys as officers of the court, we should be the first ones to engage our people in respecting and stop questioning the decision of the Supreme Court),” Roque continued.

The IBP did file a motion for reconsideration on Monday to overturn the decision of the High Court.

(Read: IBP files motion to overturn Sereno ouster)

According to the IBP, the SC “failed to maintain the cold neutrality of an impartial judge when it engaged in its own evidence gathering expedition and sought to supplement the evidence already on record.”

“In other words, the Honorable Court not only assumed the role of a trial court, it even became an advocate and assisted the petitioner in discharging its burden of proof,” the IBP wrote in the motion.

Eight versus six magistrates from the SC voted to oust Sereno on May 11, which makes it the High Court’s first ever unseating of the country’s top magistrate.