Calida asked to start quo warranto case vs. Justice De Castro

A private citizen on Friday urged Solicitor General Jose Calida to challenge Associate Justice Teresita de Castro's authority to hold her post over the same ground that may or may not unseat Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno.

"As a citizen of this country and as a taxpayer, I humbly request that the Solicitor General urgently initiate quo warranto proceedings against Associate Justice Teresita Leonardo-De Castro for lacking integrity as a member of the Supreme Court," Jocelyn Marie Acosta said in a four-page letter.

Citing records of the Judicial and Bar Council, Acosta alleged that De Castro submitted only 15 of her Statements of Assets, Liabilities and Net Worth (SALN) over the course of a decades-long government career starting in 1973.

"Being in government service since 1973, Justice De Castro was bound to submit 39 SALNs, but failed to do so," she said.

Sereno is accused of a lack of integrity for alleged non-filing of several SALNs over a 20-year stint as a professor at the University of Philippines College of Law.

Calida questioned the validity of Sereno's appointment as chief justice with the Supreme Court after Eligio Mallari, a suspended lawyer, wrote him a letter urging him to initiate quo warranto proceedings.

"With due respect, I invoke the same grounds raised by Mr. Mallari in his letter as sufficient grounds for you to file a similar petition for quo warranto against Justice De Castro," Acosta said in her letter to Calida.

"I anticipate that you would act with the same zeal as you did when you received the letter of Atty. Mallari in February 2018."

Calida's case against Sereno is nearing resolution, with Acting Chief Justice Antonio Carpio saying a decision may be reached before May ends. 

Sereno wanted De Castro and four other justices to inhibit from hearing and deciding the case due to "bias" and "animosity," but her motions were denied.

Acosta admits to supporting the "fight" of Sereno — who faces possible removal from an office she is supposed to occupy until 2030 — but claimed she filed the letter with the Office of the Solicitor General in her capacity as a private individual.

"I want to highlight that this is not about who you support but the Pandora's box they opened," she told GMA News Online.  —KBK, GMA News