Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno. INQUIRER.net FILE PHOTO
MANILA, Philippines – Malacañang on Thursday denied it was behind those calling for the impeachment of Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno.
“Walang partisipasyon ang ehekutibo sa anumang hakbangin patungkol sa impeachment na iyan,” Communications Secretary Herminio “Sonny” Coloma Jr. said during a televised press briefing.
(The Executive has no participation in any move to impeach the Chief Justice.)
Oriental Mindoro Representative Reynaldo Umali on Wednesday said that Sereno could be impeached over the Judiciary Development Fund (JDF) “for as long as disbursements made thereon constitute graft and corruption, which is a ground for impeachment.”
Umali added that Sereno could be accused of betrayal of public trust and culpable violation of the Constitution for allegedly usurping the power of the Congress’ purse.
Coloma echoed earlier statements distancing President Benigno Aquino III from the ongoing probe of the House of Representatives on the JDF, which critics called the Supreme Court’s version of a pork barrel fund.
“Ang imbestigasyon na isinasagawa ng Kongreso hinggil sa JDF ay bahagi ng kanilang tungkulin bilang mambabatas,” Coloma said.
(The investigation on the JDF being conducted by Congress is part of their work as lawmakers.)
He said the congressmen were merely doing their jobs since Congress has the power of the purse.
“Kasama doon sa ina-allocate taun-taon sa national budget ay iyong pondo na iyan,” he added.
(The JDF is among the funds they allocate under the national budget every year.)
Congress earlier earned the ire of Sereno after it invited the chief justice to attend a hearing on the JDF. Sereno called it inappropriate for congressmen to invite the head of a co-equal branch of government.
The JDF was created by Presidential Decree no. 1949 three decades ago “in order to preserve and enhance the independence of the judiciary at all times and safeguard the integrity of its members,” being the lone apolitical branch of government.
The fund has been used to augment allowances of justices, judges and court employees and for the purchase of office equipment and facilities.
RELATED STORIES
Palace distances from Sereno’s snub of House probe on JDF