FILE PHOTO: Supreme Court Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno (UNTV News)
MANILA, Philippines — Ako Bicol party-list Rep. Rodel Batocabe expressed fear of having a constitutional crisis after Solicitor General Jose Calida today filed a petition for quo warranto asking the Supreme Court to declare the appointment of Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno as unlawful and to remove her from office.
“Kung ang Kongreso will assert its exclusive power to remove an impeachable official, magkakaroon po tayo ng constitutional crisis,” said the representative.
(If Congress will assert its exclusive power to remove an impeachable official, there will be a constitutional crisis.)
Batocabe said that the crisis is possible if Supreme Court decides to remove Sereno from her post and the House will not acknowledge the decision.
He noted that under the Constitution, it is only the House of Representatives that has a sole power to oust impeachable officials in the government.
Batocabe added that if Congress will allow the Supreme Court to remove Sereno due to a quo warranto petition, this will set a bad precedent and might weaken the impeachment process.
But impeachment committee chairman Reynaldo Umali said that constitutional crisis will not happen.
“Quo warrant presumes that the appointed official was not qualified to be appointed. Ang issue ng qualification is not covered by impeachment,” said the impeachment committee chair.
To prevent a constitutional crisis, lawmakers call on the chief justice to do the right thing.
“It is honorable for her to resign. That is the honorable thing to do,” said Umali.
“Mawawalan na rin ng integridad ang ating Korte Suprema. Might as well, mag-resign na lang ang ating chief justice,” said ACTS OFW party-list Rep. John Bertiz.
(The integrity of the Supreme Court will be lost. Might as well, the chief justice must resign.)
“Hindi naman po sinasabi natin na guilty siya sa mga akusasyon sa kaniya, gumawa po ng supreme sacrifice of resigning,” said Batocabe.
(Chief Justice Sereno should think and do supreme scarifies of resigning, but I am not saying that she is guilty already.)
On Thursday, March 8, the committee will vote on the grounds of impeachment against Chief Justice Sereno.
The committee will again set for another day to vote on the committee report.
The committee targets to submit the articles of impeachment to the plenary before the session break on March 24.
Meanwhile, Malacañang defers to the Congress and the Supreme Court on what will be next for Sereno.
Presidential Spokesperson Secretary Harry Roque also believes that what is happening to the Supreme Court will not affect the justice system in the country.
“We have consistently taken the view that we leave it to Congress to remove the chief justice if there are grounds to do so now that a petition has been filed in the court. I think there are two petitions now pending in court. We leave it to the Supreme Court to resolve these two separate petitions. However, we stand by with our constitutional duty that we will enforce the decision of Supreme Court whatever it may be,” said Roque. — Grace Casin | UNTV News & Rescue
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