Although not surprised, opposition lawmakers have strongly denounced the Supreme Court (SC)’s final decision to disqualify Maria Lourdes Sereno as chief justice, with some branding the ruling as a “done deal sealed by Malacañang,” and a “tokhang against judicial independence.”
The high court, still with a vote of 8-6, denied Tuesday Sereno’s motion for reconsideration (MR). The MR had sought the reversal of the SC’s May 11 decision that ousted Sereno as the country’s top magistrate.
READ: SC rejects Sereno ouster appeal
ACT-Teachers Rep. Antonio Tinio, Akbayan Rep. Tom Villarin, Anakpawis Rep. Ariel Casilao, and Bayan Muna Rep. Carlos Zarate found this ruling unsurprising.
“As expected. Sinelyohan na ng mayorya sa Korte Suprema ang matagumpay na pagtokhang sa nagsasariling hudikatura alinsunod sa kagustuhan ni Duterte,” Tinio said in a statement.
Villarin said the decision was “fait accompli,” as “we are dealing with a compromised Supreme Court that had their hands tied down by mundane personal interests.”
“It was a done deal sealed by Malacañang which now exercises omnipotent powers over the Supreme Court through the omnipresent quo warranto petition it can file against any SC Justice and other impeachable officials. It is a consequence of unabashed worship of dictatorial rule where dissent is quashed while still in the mind never to be spoken. We are in the cusp of legal oblivion where power matters over pure reason,” he added.
Zarate pointed out that the high court decision was a “dark page in the history of the Supreme Court.”
“Ito ay isang maitim na pahina sa kasaysayan ng Korte Suprema, dito talagang makikita natin na talagang compromised na ang Korte Suprema at hindi nakapagtataka kung sa mga darating na panahon ay sunud sunuran ito sa mga gusto ng Malacañang,” he told reporters.
For his part, Anakpawis Rep. Ariel Casilao has urged the people to take the task of “protecting and upholding democracy, basic rights and sovereignty, the very pillars this country is supposed to be founded on, and which the branches are obviously trampling upon.”
Gabriela Women’s Party Reps. Emmi de Jesus and Arlene Brosas meanwhile said that with Sereno’s ouster affirmed, “more women are called on to support #BabaeAko campaign against Duterte’s macho-fascist attacks and against his bid to put every institution at his and beck and call.” /je