Embattled Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno refuted anew corruption allegations posed against her, saying she has not profited from corruption in the government.
“If there is someone who earned from corruption, it’s not me,” Sereno said in Filipino, during an interview with GMA-7’s Winnie Monsod’s Bawal ang Pasaway show.
Sereno is facing impeachment raps filed by lawyer Larry Gadon for alleged culpable violation of the Constitution, betrayal of public trust, corruption and other high crimes, by failing to reveal her existent assets and net worth, buying a luxurious car with public funds and compelling judges to challenge the Duterte administration.
Voting 25-2, the House Committee on Justice ruled that there are sufficient grounds to pursue the impeachment complaint filed against the chief justice.
“If you just allow the side of Gadon and his team to give the narrative, it will be such a great loss to the country,” Sereno added.
The chief magistrate also answered President Rodrigo Duterte’s corruption claims against her, saying the latter’s speculations were “baseless.”
“I think he was fed wrong information,” she added.
Asked if who made money from corrupt activities, Sereno replied still in Filipino: “It is good to guess who profited from corruption. It’s not me.”
Sereno earlier snubbed these impeachment threats, saying these complaints don’t affect her because of her ‘clean conscience’.
“You know, that’s the things about having a clean conscience,” she said in Filipino.
Sereno added she has fulfilled her mandate “with all faith and diligence”, citing that there would be no evidence that would attest she has betrayed her oath of office.
“I have done nothing wrong. Nothing can be proven against me that will show that the Chief Justice has betrayed her oath of office. I have served the country with all faith and diligence. I will never waver from that pledge,” she added.