Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque
MANILA, Philippines – The Supreme Court (SC) as final arbiter of the law has spoken.
This was the statement of Presidential Spokesperson Secretary Harry Roque on the recent ouster of Atty. Maria Lourdes Sereno as chief justice through quo warranto proceedings.
“The High Court has spoken. Let us respect its decision granting the quo warranto petition as the proper remedy and the quo warranto petition ruling against Chief Justice Ma. Lourdes Sereno,” Roque said.
Roque added that the Supreme Court is duty bound to uphold the Constitution being a co-equal branch of government. It’s ruling is “an assertion of the supremacy of the fundamental law of the land.”
Meanwhile, Chief Presidential Legal Counsel Atty. Salvador Panelo reiterated that though some disagree with the SC ruling, everyone must abide by it and this how democracy works.
Panelo also stood firm that impeachment is not only the remedy to remove an “impeachable officer”.
“Ang nakalagay sa Saligang Batas, iyong mga impeachable officers, on the grounds cited by the Constitution ay “may be removed”. Maaaring tanggalin. Ibig sabihin, hindi pala exclusive ito. Dapat sana “can only be removed” ang nilagay diyan…Bakit? Sapagkat mayroon mga sitwasyon na ang isang impeachable officer ay illegally staying in office. Hindi pala siya qualified pero yung ground ng kaniyang hindi pagka-qualified, hindi naman ground na tanggalin siya. Kasi sa Saligang Batas, sa impeachment, mayroon lang mga grounds na pwede kang tanggalin,” Panelo explained.
(The Constitution says impeachable officers, on the grounds cited by the Constitution may be removed. “May be removed,” so it’s not exclusive because it does not say “can only be removed”. Why? Because there are situations wherein an impeachable officer is illegally staying in office because said officer is not qualified but the ground for the disqualification is not ground for impeachment. This is because the Constitution has specific grounds on which you can be removed.)
Panelo added that he has no information yet if President Rodrigo Duterte already has someone in mind to be the next Chief Justice.
Meanwhile, Atty. Larry Gadon said his filing of impeachment complaint before the Congress did not turn out to be in vain as it has opened the opportunity to the filing of the quo warranto petition by the solicitor general.
Gadon also insisted that President Duterte has nothing to do with the impeachment complaint he filed against Sereno.
“The Supreme Court has proven they are independent because this is the perfect opportunity for them to rectify the errors committed by JBC,” Gadon concluded. — Rosalie Coz |
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