Sereno's letter informing SC en banc deputy clerk of ‘indefinite leave’

Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno's letter to the Deputy Clerk of Court confirmed that she is taking an "indefinite leave" from the Supreme Court.

The letter, confirmed by a source with GMA News Online, was dated February 27 and received by the office of Deputy Clerk of Court en banc Atty. Anna-Li Papa Gombio on Wednesday, February 28.

Sereno said in her letter that she is taking an indefinite leave to prepare for the Senate impeachment trial.

"On the matter of my leave, please take note that due to the demands of the Senate trial where I intend to fully set out my defenses to the baseless charges, I will take an indefinite leave..." the letter begins.

A portion of the leave, Sereno said, will be charged against her "wellness leave," which was originally scheduled from March 12 to 23, to March 1 to 15.

Some senators have said that if the House of Representatives votes to impeach Sereno, the upper chamber may start the trial by July.

The letter puts to rest speculations on what type of leave Sereno is taking.

After news broke out about Sereno taking a leave of absence from the high court, one of her spokespersons, lawyer Jojo Lacanilao, said it was "not safe to call it" an indefinite leave. He clarified that it was just a wellness leave that was previously filed by the chief magistrate.

During the impeachment proceedings by the House justice committee, its chair, Oriental Mindoro 2nd District Representative Reynaldo Umali, branded as "deception" Sereno's spokesperson's denial that the top magistrate was not taking an indefinite leave.

Umali claimed a source told him it was an indefinite leave and that Sereno was forced to file it after other justices, during an en banc session, threatened to publicly call for her resignation. —with Dano Tingcungco/ALG, GMA News