Sereno tags ‘court administrator’ for inciting calls for resignation

Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno on Tuesday linked "the court administrator" to the resignation calls against her as she faced impeachment at the House of Representatives and questions on the validity of her appointment before her peers.

"I'm really very sad that the court administrator had been calling people, telling them to join the pressure for me to resign," Sereno was heard saying in an exclusive video taken by GMA News.

According to a report on "24 Oras", Sereno made the remark during her courtesy call onUniversity of Negros Occidental-Recoletos President Father Eduardo Celiz, Jr.

Sereno, however, gave no comment when pressed as regards the identity of the official.

The incumbent Court Administrator is Midas Marquez, who testified against Sereno before the House Committee on Justice hearing the impeachment complaint against her.

Marquez has yet to comment on Sereno's remark.

Sereno also delivered a speech before students of the Bacolod City university where she criticized calls for her to resign as having been provoked by "convenience" instead of "reason."

At the second "Red Monday" at the Supreme Court (SC) flag raising rites, groups of judges and court employees on Monday formally called for Sereno's resignation.

SC Employees’ Association (SCEA) president Erwin Ocson read a statement that he said was signed by the leaders of the Philippine Judges Association, the SCEA, Supreme Court Assembly of Lawyer Employees, the Philippine Association of Court Employees, and the Sandiganbayan Employees Association.

Ocson, reading the statement, said it was "timely" and "proper" for Sereno to make the "sacrifice" of stepping down from the top judge post, which has held since 2012 and clung to amid calls for her to resign.

Negros Occidental judges

Members of the Negros Occidental Regional Trial Court Judges Association, however, have called for neutrality and adherence to the rule of law.

“"We ask our fellow judges to remember our oath to uphold the Constitution and the rule of law; to be impartial and reserve judgment until all evidence have been presented; to be non-partisan and let due process take its course," the group said in a statement.

"We do not wish to be part of the issues besetting the Supreme Court and its personnel as our priority is to keep the courts open and to serve our people," the judges added.

"We are not politicians. We do not have the luxury of publicly expressing our sentiments, unless prompted by the situation. This is one of those times that our voices need to be heard," they said.

Sereno was visibly elated at the position the judges took.

“I am very, very proud of Negros region judges,” she told the crowd. “Mabuhay po sila! Bigyan po natin sila ng isang masigabong palakpak.” 

Sereno took the chance to take a swipe at her detractors.

“The call for me to resign is not founded on reason but only on convenience. Tama po ba?"  Sereno said.

"Ayaw na ng mga ilan na dumaan pa sa tamang Constitutional process of impeachment. Nahihirapan na daw ang loob nila. They want peace. But what is peace if there is no justice?” she added.

Let Senate trial begin

The Chief Justice challenged those behind her impeachment to bring their evidence to the trial if they had anything to present.

She reiterated that facing the impeachment head on was another way to fight for democracy and judicial independence.

“Kung kaya nilang gawin ito sa punong mahistrado na pinuno ng ikatlong sangay ng gobyerno, isa sa pinakamataas na opisyal ng bayan, sino pa ang ligtas?” Sereno said.

“Wala na po. Hindi ako ang nagsimula ng gulong ito. Nananhimik ako, ginulo nila ako. ‘Di nila ako binigyan ng karapatan sa mababang kapulungan ng Kongreso. Now I am only asking for my side to be heard. Is that too much? Is that not the basic right of every citizen?... Hiling ko lang, give me my day in the Senate impeachment court. Let my senate trial begin.

After her speech and the open forum, Sereno gamely posed for selfies with students.

In the afternoon, she graced the 11th National Convention and Seminar of the Philippine Association of Court Social Workers, Inc. in Bacolod. —with Nicole-Anne Lagrimas/NB, GMA News