Sereno’s ‘excuse’ in non-filing of SALN will not make her win impeachment case —solon

Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno would likely lose her impeachment case if her "excuse" for not filing her Statements of Assets, Liabilities and Net Worth (SALN) is that she was "on leave," a lawmaker said Wednesday.

In a press briefing, ABS party-list Representative Eugene Michael de Vera, a member of the House Committee on Justice, responded to Sereno's comment to the quo warranto petition filed against her before the Supreme Court.

In her comment, Sereno said she was not required to file her SALN in the several months in 1998 to 2006 that she was "on leave without pay" as a professor at the University of the Philippines.

"Since the record shows that the Chief Justice was on leave without pay during these periods, she was actually not required to file any SALN for these years,” her comment read.

But for De Vera, even if Sereno was on leave, she was still required to file SALN as she was still a government employee.

"Ang sinasabi nila, kung on leave siya, hindi siya obligadong mag-file ng SALN. Mali 'yun," he said.

"Kapag yun ang depensa niya, talo na siya. Kasi kahit on leave ka, hindi ka resigned, obligasyon mo pa rin mag-file ng annual SALN mo dahil empleyado ka pa rin ng gobyerno. Sakop ka pa rin ng SALN Law," he added.

De Vera said they would challenge Sereno's defense in the Senate regaring the non-filing of her SALNs, an allegation included in the articles of impeachment the House justice panel prepared against her.

"Kung magpri-present siya sa Senate court, icha-challenge namin 'yun kasi may mga certifications na kami na wala siya talagang finile for certain years," he said.

For his part, AKO BICOL party-list Representative Alfredo Garbin Jr. said the issue is not merely on non-filing of SALN but also the truthful declarations of Sereno's wealth.

"Meron ka ngang SALN, but is it truthful? Is it a complete declaration of your assets, liabilities and net worth?" he asked.

Garbin has earlier said the House panel has found that Sereno did not declare in her SALN a property located in Mariveles, Bataan.

The 2.24-hectare Bataan property, according to the articles of impeachment, was allegedly not declared in Sereno's 11 filed SALNs and was registered in the name of spouses Mario Jose Sereno and Ma. Lourdes P.A. Sereno amounting to more or less P44 million.

But lawyer Jojo Lacanilao, one of Sereno's spokespersons, has maintained that the chief justice complied with all the requirements for her application for the position, including the submission of her SALN.

"Wala namang ginawa si Chief Justice kundi nag-apply lamang siya at nag-comply doon sa mga requirements at pumayag yung JBC sa mga requirements na binigay niya. Anong kasalanan ni CJ Sereno?" he said.

Lacanilao also said in a statement that the property in Bataan belongs to another individual and not by Sereno's husband. —KBK, GMA News