DAVAO CITY (June 19) — The Supreme Court on Tuesday upheld its decision granting the quo warranto petition which ousted Ma. Lourdes Sereno from the Chief Justice post.
Voting 8-6 in favor of the quo warranto case against Sereno last May 11. The Supreme Court justices finally nailed Sereno’s quest for reinstatement.
Supreme Court Spokesman Theodore Te in a press briefing after the High Court’s en banc session said “The Supreme Court during its session today (Tuesday, June 19), in the matter of Republic of the Philippines vs. Maria Lourdes P.A. Sereno denied with finality respondent’s Motion for Reconsideration of the Court’s May 11, 2018 decision.”
Te said the High Court denied with finality the motion for reconsideration filed by Sereno, who is the first top magistrate to be removed from office through quo warranto proceedings.
Those who voted to grant the quo warranto petition against Sereno were Associate Justices Teresita Leonardo-de Castro, Diosdado Peralta, Lucas Bersamin, Francis Jardeleza, Samuel Martires, Andres Reyes Jr., Alexander Gesmundo, and Noel Tijam who penned the Court’s decision.
Those who dissented were Senior Associate Justice Antonio Carpio and Associate Justices Presbitero Velasco, Mariano Del Castillo, Estela Perlas-Bernabe, Marvic Leonen and Alfredo Benjamin Caguioa.
In its decision, the SC majority ruled that Sereno’s failure to submit her SALNs as law professor at the University of the Philippines would mean “her integrity was not established at the time of her application,” making her ineligible to hold her position.
Solicitor General Jose Calida, in his quo warranto petition sought the nullification of Sereno’s appointment as Chief Justice over her alleged failure to file her Statements of Assets, Liabilities, and Net Worth (SALNs) for several years from 1986 to 2006 when she was a professor at the UP College of Law.
The May 11 decision granted the quo warranto petition filed by Solicitor General Jose Calida and invalidated the appointment of Sereno in 2012.
The SC disqualified her from the post for lack of proven integrity due to her failure to file all her statements of assets, liabilities and net worth (SALNs) when she was still teaching law in the University of the Philippines.
Then, on May 30, Sereno filed a motion for reconsideration asking a reversal of the May 11 ruling.
On Tuesday, the Supreme Court again stood it’s earlier decision, they denied Sereno’s appeal.
Senate Minority Leader Franklin Drilon said on Tuesday that senators may now be “reluctant” to tackle the resolution after the high court affirmed its earlier decision to oust Sereno.
Read more: http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1002198/drilon-resolution-urging-sc-review-of-sereno-ouster-may-no-longer-be-pushed#ixzz5IscByqex
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Te said the search for new Chief Justice starts Tuesday, June 19.-EZC/NewsLine.ph
