Sereno: De Castro told me on first day in office ‘I'll never forgive you’

Embattled Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno on Monday said  Associate Justice Teresita de Castro told her on her first day in office that she will not forgive her for accepting the post.

In a speech commemorating Araw ng Kagitingan in Quezon City, Sereno said De Castro's reply to her when she asked for the magistrate's cooperation was: "I will never forgive you for accepting the chief justiceship."

She said she asked this favor from De Castro on her first day of office on Aug. 27, 2012.

“Sinabi po niya na ‘you should have not applied in the first place,'” Sereno said, drawing boos from the audience.

De Castro also applied for the position in 2012. She and Sereno were included in the shortlist of five nominees to the post submitted to then President Benigno Aquino III.

Sereno said this exchange was included in her petition for De Castro to recuse herself from participating in the quo warranto proceedings in the Supreme Court.

Amid claims that she is aloof from her colleagues in the high court, Sereno said she actually visited each high court magistrate in their chambers where they positively responded to her request for cooperation.

“Pumunta ako sa bawat justice ng Supreme Court ke gusto nila ako o hindi ako po ang pumunta sa kanilang opisina. Ako po ang tumawag sa kanila. Hiningi ko ang kanilng kooperasyon at ang sabi nila hindi pa nagagawa ng kahit na sinumang chief justice ang humingi ng kooperasyon nila,” Sereno said.

“Kaya yung sinabi nila [sa impeachment proceedings sa House of Representatives] ay taliwas po yun sa katotohanan na ako po ang bumababa at humingi ng kanilang kooperasyon,” she added.

Sereno had also asked four other justices to inhibit from the quo warranto proceedings.

De Castro and the four other justices had testified against Sereno during the House of Representatives hearings in the impeachment complaint filed against her by lawyer Larry Gadon.

Oral arguments on the quo warranto petition filed by the Office of the Solicitor General will be held on April 10 in Baguio City.

Sereno said she was just getting warmed up in preparing for her impeachment proceedings and the oral arguments for the quo warranto petition at the SC.

"Akala nila nalulungkot tayo, ano? Akala nila nalulugmok tayo. Nagsisimula pa lang po tayo. Nag-e-enjoy pa lang po kami," Sereno said.

"Katawatawa. Puwede kong hamakin 'yang quo warranto petition na 'yan. Tama na ho iyong katawatawa, may mas masama pa hong bagay pero kayo na ang gumamit," she added.

Sereno reiterated that she will not resign from her post, saying she cannot fight for the judiciary's independence if she steps down from office out of fear of being impeached.

"Kung kaya nilang i-bully ang chief justice, eh sino pang huwes ang maninindigan? Ang hindi ko kayang pagdanaan ay iyong tingnan sa mata ang mga husgado at sabihing patuloy ka lang manindigan sa iyong paniniwala. Hindi ko po kayang gawin 'yon 'pag ako'y bumaba sa puwesto sa takot," Sereno said. —ALG, GMA News