Sereno need not disclose earnings before appointment as chief justice —spokesperson

Supreme Court Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno need not disclose her earnings as a private lawyer in her Statement of Assets, Liabilities, and Net Worth (SALN).

Lawyer Carlo Cruz, Sereno's spokesperson, made the statement in an interview on News To Go on Thursday in reference to the impeachment complaint filed by lawyer Lorenzo "Larry" Gadon against Sereno.

"That's a matter of government record and these fees earned four or five years ago when she stepped into the Supreme Court eh hindi naman yata rasonable na lahat ng earnings mo bago kayo maipasa sa public office eh dapat ideklara mo," Cruz said.

"Hindi naman niya itinago ito. Bayad naman mga taxes dito tsaka during the time that she earned it up to the time na pumasok siya sa Korte Suprema, meron naman siguro silang mga resthouse," he added.

Gadon accused the Chief Justice of failing to report in her SALN the "millions of pesos" she earned when she represented the Philippine International Airport Terminals Co. (PIATCO) in a case on the construction of the Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal III.

This complaint came second to Sereno's alleged purchase of an P8 million luxury vehicle with Supreme Court funds and allegations of corruption, among other high crimes.

Sereno, through Cruz, earlier disagreed with the House justice committee's decision to pass Gadon's complaint as she found no merit in the lawyer's allegations.

Cruz did not answer specifics about Gadon's case to avoid preempting the answer of Sereno's camp, to be submitted 10 to 11 days from Thursday.

"Ang aming pakay is maipaalam sa sambayanan, at salamat sa pagkakataon na ito, na ang aming perspective dito, ang aming paraan dito eh unang una, dapat pairalin ang Saligang Batas," he said. "Sasagot kami sa mga paratang na ito sa tamang panahon."

A legal team likely headed by Attorney Alexander Poblador, founding partner of the Poblador Bautista & Reyes law firm, will defend Sereno in the impeachment proceedings in Congress.

Cruz said Sereno's lawyers already have documentation of her earnings prior to her stint at the high court and will be delivered to Congress.

Her camp is also refraining from political angles being leveled in connection with her impeachment proceedings and has agreed to a lifestyle check in case of a request.

"We have to focus on the charges kasi what we are fighting here for is not only the reputation of Chief Justice; it is our integrity. We are also, you know, fighting for the dignity of the institution which will still effect as the Supreme Court," Cruz said. —Rie Takumi/KG, GMA News