THE CAMP of Chief Justice Maria Lourdes P.A. Sereno, when sought for comment on Thursday, criticized the Supreme Court’s (SC) reported ruling on the quo warranto petition against her by next month, as disclosed by Senior Associate Justice Antonio T. Carpio to reporters also on Thursday.
“We cannot help but ask, why the rush?” lawyer and Ms. Sereno’s spokesperson Josalee S. Deinla told reporters following news reports quoting Mr. Carpio as saying in part that, “By next month, we should be able to decide it.”
Mr. Carpio’s remarks are in reference to Solicitor-General Jose C. Calida’s quo warranto petition seeking to void Ms. Sereno’s appointment for not submitting her complete Statements of Assets, Liabilities, and Net Worth.
Ms. Deinla pointed out that the SC “is supposed to be on break after its last en banc session on April 24 in Baguio” and that “they are on recess in May.”
“The quo warranto petition is an important case which if granted will upend our justice system as we know it. The SC has not even heard the side of any of the intervenors,” she added.
When sought for comment on reports that Associate Justice Noel G. Tijam had already drafted a resolution granting Mr. Calida’s petition, Ms. Deinla said in a text message, “If true, the report… comes as no surprise, considering that the Justice has exhibited manifest bias and prejudice against the Chief Justice and even refused to recuse himself from the proceedings.”
The SC dismissed Ms. Sereno’s motion to have Associate Justices Tijam, Teresita L. De Castro, Francis H. Jardeleza, Diosdado M. Peralta, and Lucas P. Bersamin inhibit themselves from her case as they testified against her in the impeachment proceedings by the House committee on justice.
Also on Thursday, opposition Senators Antonio F. Trillanes IV and Leila M. De Lima petitioned the SC to dismiss Mr. Calida’s petition. — D.A.M. Enerio

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