By Dane Angelo M. Enerio
CHIEF Justice Maria Lourdes P.A. Sereno on Wednesday resumed her duties at the Supreme Court two months after being directed by her peers to take an indefinite leave beginning March 1.
According to lawyer and spokesperson Anacleto “Jojo” A. Lacanilao III, Ms. Sereno will preside over the special en banc session on Friday but will inhibit herself from the quo warranto case against her which is anticipated to be on Friday’s order of business.
“She wants to be there (so) she’ll be there,” Mr. Lacanilao said.
“This quo warranto petition may not be the only item in the agenda… but with due respect to the other matters (to) be included in the agenda, she would preside over (them),” said Carlo L. Cruz, another lawyer and spokesperson of Ms. Sereno.
When asked why the top magistrate chose to return now, Mr. Lacanilao replied, “She is fully prepared already, so balik na siya sa trabaho (so she’s back to work.)”
He added: “Matagal na pong ready si chief justice (the chief justice has long been ready)… she’s not going to back down, she’s not resigning,” Mr. Lacanilao said.
Mr. Lacanilao also clarified, “Hindi po niya kailangang magpaalam although ang alam ko nag-usap sila ni (Acting Chief) Justice (Antonio T.) Carpio…hindi po yun pagpapaalam kung babalik siya kasi.” (She doesn’t need permission although from what I know she has talked with Justice Carpio…not to ask for permission to return.)
In its statement on Wednesday, the Coalition for Justice (CFJ) said Ms. Sereno’s return to the SC “is in accordance with the Constitution and in defense of the Constitution.”
Research and advocacy non-government organization (NGO) Action for Economic Reforms (AER) in its statement said, “The quo warranto proceeding is not the constitutional way to remove the Chief Justice or for that matter any member of the Supreme Court.”
“The Constitution is clear on this matter: Impeachment is the mechanism to remove a sitting Justice,” the statement also read.

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