‘Like it or hate it,’ Palace urges public to respect SC decision ousting Sereno

Presidential Spokesperson Atty. Harry Roque. YANCY LIM/PRESIDENTIAL PHOTO

Malacañang urged the public on Tuesday to respect the ruling of the Supreme Court that upheld its May 11 decision to oust Maria Lourdes Sereno as chief justice through quo warranto petition.

“So like it or hate it, we have to succumb to the decision of the Supreme Court. That is now a final and executory decision,” Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said at a televised press briefing in Cotabato City.

He said President Rodrigo Duterte respects the decision of high court and has urged the Filipinos to unite following the high court’s ruling.

“Nirerespeto po ‘yan ng ating President. Ipatutupad po ‘yang desisyon na yan dahil ‘yan po ang trabaho ng Presidente, tagapagpatupad ng mga batas at mga desisyon ng ating Korte Suprema,” he said.

(The President respects the decision. The decision will be enforced since it is the duty of the President to enforce laws and the decisions of the Supreme Court.)

“Ang hinihingi ng Presidente ngayon ay magsama-sama muli ang sambayanang Pilipino,” he added.

(The President is asking the Filipinos to unite.)

While Roque admitted that many Filipinos were not in favor of the decision, he said that the SC is the final arbiter of legal issues in the country.

“Alam ko po, alam ng palasyo, na maraming tututol o hindi sumasang-ayon sa desisyon pero sa ating sistema po ng demokrasya, ang Korte Suprema po ang pinal na arbiter sa lahat ng kontrobersiyang legal,” he said.

(I know and the Palace knows that many do not agree with the decision but in our democratic system, it is the Supreme Court that decides on all legal controversies.)

Voting 8-6, the SC on Tuesday refused to reverse its May 11, 2018 decision ousting Maria Lourdes Sereno as chief justice.

READ: SC rejects Sereno ouster appeal

Roque then wished Sereno the best in her everyday life as a private citizen.

“Tapos na po ang pagiging chief justice ni Meilou Sereno. (Meilou Sereno’s term as chief justice is over). We wish her good luck in her everyday life as a private citizen,” he said. /je

Updated at 3:25 p.m.