Chief Justice Sereno should make the “supreme sacrifice of resigning” - Rep. Batocabe

The fire regarding the issue surrounding the Chief Justice of the Philippines keeps getting bigger.

Maria Lourdes Sereno who is now on a fifteen day “indefinite leave” just had her plate full, from the ongoing impeachment case under the committee on justice in Congress and the Office of the Solicitor General filing of a quo warranto proceeding against her she it cannot be busier than this…so she thought.

Ako Bicol Rep. Rodel Batocabe last Monday called for her resignation to avoid a constitutional crisis from happening in light of what is happening surrounding her appointment as top magistrate of the land. *

Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno (photo credit to owner)

The lawmaker is calling on Sereno to resign from her current position to prevent a constitutional crisis in light of the impeachment case filed by lawyer Lorenzo Gadon in the House of Representatives and just recently the quo warranto procceding filed by Solicitor General Jose Calida in the Supreme Court.

Batocabe said a constitutional crisis may happen if Congress asserts its “exclusive power” to unseat impeachable officials as provide in the 1987 Constitution over the Office of the Solicitor General’s (OSG) quo warranto petition to nullify Sereno’s appointment.

“If Congress will assert its exclusive power to remove an impeachable official, magkakaroon tayo ng (we will have a) constitutional crisis. Pero kung nirespeto at sinabi na (But if they say that) we will abide by the decision of the Supreme Court, then wala nang problema (there will be no problem),” he said.

The Solicitor General just recently filed a quo warranto procceding asking the Supreme Court (SC) to nullify Sereno’s appointment after the Chief Justice intentionally failed to completely disclose her statement of assets, liabilities and net worth (SALN) to the Judicial and Bar Council (JBC).

Under Rule 66 of the Rules of Court, a quo warranto proceeding is “an action by the government against a person who unlawfully holds a public office or holds a position which he or she is not qualified.” *

Batocabe is of the opinion that the impeachment process should “ proceed independently” of the existing quo warranto petition.

He said the Chief Justice should make the “supreme sacrifice of resigning” to “spare all institutions, especially the SC.”

ACTS OFW Rep. Aniceto Bertiz,like wise echoed Batocabe’s call for Sereno’s resignation.

“Malinaw naman yung ebidensya laban sa kanya, we might pursue na lang with the impeachment. Mawawalan narin ng integridad ating SC, might as well mag-resign nalang siya,” Bertiz said.

Report from PDI