Sereno: I will prepare to fight fairly, squarely, with grace

Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno on Wednesday told court workers she will use her "leave of absence" to prepare for her legal defense for what her camp has long anticipated would be an impeachment trial at the Senate.

"I need to prepare to fight the accusations against me fairly and squarely, with honor, dignity and grace," the top magistrate was quoted as saying in a press statement.

She gave the keynote address at the 25th national convention of the Regional Trial Court Clerks of Court Association of the Philippines held at the Manila Hotel on Wednesday morning, said to be her last public engagement before her leave takes effect on March 1.

She claimed her fight against her accusers would not be for herself alone, but for the entire judiciary.

The embattled chief justice assured court workers that the "ship of state of the judiciary remains on course" even when she is on leave.

“I have said time and again: focus on your job,” Sereno was quoted to have said.

“That and prayers are the best forms of support you can give me in this fight," she added. 

Sereno has written Deputy Clerk of Court Atty. Anna-Li Papa Gombio to inform her that she would be taking an "indefinite leave of absence" from the Supreme Court starting Thursday.

The short letter, which a representative from Sereno's team claimed remains filed, put to rest Tuesday's contradicting claims on the nature of the top magistrate's leave.

A spokesperson for Sereno initially said it was a "wellness leave," while House justice committee chairperson Representative Reynaldo Umali cited an unnamed source as telling him it was an "indefinite leave."

Court sources earlier told the media how Sereno's fellow justices "threatened" to publicly call for her resignation if she continued to refuse taking the break they have initially suggested.

After holding over a dozen hearings, where Sereno's colleagues at the Supreme Court testified against her, the House panel is scheduled to vote whether or not the impeachment complaint against her has probable cause. 

'Desperate, coordinated' efforts

Meanwhile, Sereno's team hit the "coordinated extra-constitutional efforts" to unseat her, citing the reported attempt by some Supreme Court justices to "force" her to resign.

“There is no body or institution outside of the Senate that can force the Chief Justice to resign. Nobody can decide that other than the Senate,” said lawyer Jojo Lacanilao, a spokesperson for Sereno, in a separate press statement.

Any attempt to remove the Chief Justice that falls outside of the constitutional provision that an impeachable official, like Sereno, can only be removed from office by impeachment, is "patently unconstitutional," he said.

Only the top magistrate can make the "personal decision" whether or not to resign, he said. "It cannot be an institutional decision of the Supreme Court."

He claimed, however, that if the Senate impeachment court would decide to convict her, "it won't take a day for Sereno to step down."

For her part, lawyer Josa Deinla, another spokesperson for Sereno, claimed it has become obvious that "desperate times call for desperate measures" for the detractors of the Chief Justice.

She cited the alleged bid to force Sereno to resign, the petition for the Solicitor-General to start a quo warranto proceeding against her, the filing of a graft complaint against her with the Office of the Ombudsman, and the "harassment of court officials."

“These are just indications of desperate and coordinated attempts not only to remove the Chief Justice, but also to mock the Rule of Law,” Deinla said.

Sereno's spokespersons maintained anew that the Chief Justice is not resigning. — MDM, GMA News