Sereno unfazed by impeachment threats

Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno on Thursday shrugged off threats of impeachment, saying she has not done anything illegal while at the helm of the country's judiciary.

Breaking her silence on the issue, Sereno said at a town hall meeting in Cebu City that the impeachment complaint filed against her before the House of Representatives did not affect her at all.

"Alam mo, 'yan ang masarap sa malinis na konsensya. It does not affect me at all," she said.

"The work is there. It is enormous. Just imagine if I take an inordinate amount of time and being exasperated by those documents, work will not be done. So, just give it the right attention so that you understand when the appropriate time comes you are ready, but you should not be fazed because I have done nothing wrong," Sereno said.

She added no evidence would show that she has betrayed her oath of office, claiming she has served the country "with all faith and diligence."

"I will never waver from that pledge," she said.

At one point in the program, Sereno removed her eye glasses to show to the reporter who brought up the controversial topic on impeachment that she can look at anybody straight in the eye.

Sereno's gesture drew applause from the crowd of students and members of the media inside the University of San Carlos, where her annual press conference is held for the first time since it was instituted in 2013.

"I have always lived a life of modesty. I have been prudent in the use of the Court's resources. All the expenses for judicial reform, my travels, my security and vehicle requirements are all regular and aboveboard. Public documents; the record will speak for itself. And I have not objected to the public release of the same," she said.

Sereno is facing an impeachment complaint from the Volunteers Against Crime and Corruption (VACC) and Vanguard of the Philippine Constitution Inc (VPCI), which are accusing her of betrayal of public trust and culpable violation of the Constitution.

Among the issues raised in the complaint were her alleged questionable administrative orders such as creating the new Judiciary Decentralized Office and reopening of the Regional Court Administration Office in Central Visayas without the authority from the Court en banc, appointment appointment of Atty. Brenda Jay Mendoza as chief of the Philippine Mediation Center Office by mere memorandum and frequent foreign travels and grant of allowance to Sereno's top aide and other staff members without Court en banc approval.

That complaint has yet to be endorsed by a House member, which is a necessary procedural requirement for impeachment proceedings to proceed. 

Another impeachment complaint is expected to be filed by lawyer Lorenzo "Larry" Gadon over Sereno's alleged anomalous purchase of a luxury vehicle, undeclared earnings from her stint as part of the government's legal team in the expopriation case against the Philippine International Air Terminals Co. Inc. (Piatco).

His complaint may also tackle the delayed action on the requests for retirement benefits of justices, judges and the surviving spouses of deceased justices and judges. —JST, GMA News