Sereno: SC housecleaning to continue

Supreme Court Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines —Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno on Wednesday said although painful, the Supreme Court would push through with the “housecleaning” of the Judiciary.

Sereno’s statement came a day after the high court in a per curiam decision dismissed Sandiganbayan Associate Justice Gregory Ong due to his close association with pork barrel scam alleged mastermind Janet Lim-Napoles.

Ong was dismissed after he was found administratively guilty for gross misconduct, dishonesty and impropriety. The high court said Ong’s association with Napoles is not “simple” because he has dragged the Judiciary into the pork barrel controversy.

Sereno’s colleague, Associate Justice Presbitero Velasco, told reporters that what the Supreme Court has been doing is “for the good of the judiciary.”

Retired Supreme Court Associate Justice Roberto Abad, on the other hand, said the high court’s decision showed its firm stand that it will not tolerate any wrongdoing.

The dismissal against Ong is immediately executory but he can still file a motion for reconsideration.

Sandiganbayan Presiding Justice Amparo Cabotaje-Tang said being a colleague at the Sandiganbayan and a classmate at the San Beda Law, she was saddened by what happened to Ong.

She said the high court’s decision sends a strong message not only to the Sandiganbayan but also the entire judiciary.

“So, we go back to the basic under the Constitution that a public office is a public trust. All public officials and employees must be accountable at all times to the people,” Tang said.

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