Sereno denies living an exorbitant lifestyle

Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno (File photo by RAFFY LERMA/Philippine Daily Inquirer)

CEBU CITY – Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno doesn’t feel alluded to the pronouncements of President Duterte about a government official with exorbitant lifestyle.

She told reporters here that she doesn’t live an exorbitant lifestyle and has not done any wrongdoing.

“I am alluded (to) with his pronouncements, especially that he did not mention any names at all,” said Sereno.

The chief justice was guest speaker for Ulat ng Hudikatura, an event organized by the Supreme Court (SC) and the School of Law and Governance by the University of San Carlos (USC).

Sereno said the allegations raised against her didn’t affect both her personal and professional life because her conscience was clear.

“I did nothing wrong and it does not affect me at all. This is the good thing about having a clear conscience…you have nothing to fear,” she stated.

President Rodrigo Duterte earlier slammed a government official allegedly enjoying a lavish lifestyle by traveling abroad.

“May isang opisyal tayo dito sa gobyerno na tinignan namin ang travel. Hindi sa departamento ko, not the executive department. Kung mag-sakay ng eroplano, mag-abroad, first class, tapos ‘yung mga hotel niya, ‘yung mga suite. May isang presidential suite pa ang kinuha. P****. This will come out,” he said in a speech in Malacañang.

(There is an official in government whose travels we looked into. Not in my department, not the executive department. When this person rides an airplane going abroad, they ride first class, and they book hotel suites. This person even got a presidential suite. [Expletive] This will come out.)

Although Mr. Duterte didn’t name names, Sereno’s name was floated in the wake of impeachment complaints filed against her.

The first complaint was filed last July by members of the Volunteers Against Crime and Corruption (VACC) and the Vanguard of the Philippine Constitution.

Another complaint was filed by lawyer Larry Gadon who claimed that Sereno was living an exorbitant lifestyle.

He alleged that she owned a sports utility vehicle worth P4.5 million to P5.1 million, and was purchased using funds allocated for the SC.

Gadon also accused Sereno of spending government money to book a presidential suite in a high-end hotel on the island-resort of Boracay.

But Sereno said the hotel management did not charge them since the suite was used to accommodate the chief justices from Asean-member countries.

“It was a presidential suite from a hotel in Boracay, and we used it as a venue for a photoshoot session for the Asean summit, and there were chief justices from other Asean countries. But the hotel management decided to declare it as free,” she said.