Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno (File photo from Philippine Daily Inquirer)
Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno should use her wellness leave “to reflect on her time and legacy at the Supreme Court,” Malacañang said on Tuesday.
“The decision of Chief Justice Ma. Lourdes Sereno to file a wellness leave is a personal matter,” presidential spokesperson Harry Roque said in a statement.
Jojo Lacanilao, a spokesperson of Sereno’s, said the chief justice would only take a 15-day “wellness leave” from March 1 to 15, earlier than her originally scheduled period of March 12 to 23.
READ: Sereno takes a break: Wellness leave or indefinite?
Sources from the high court said Sereno was forced by SC justices to go on indefinite leave.
“We are confident that there would be no interruption on the day-to-day operations of the High Court and services would continue unhampered,” Roque said.
The Palace official hopes Sereno would be able to reflect during his break.
“As the Chief Justice takes her wellness leave, we hope she would take this as an opportunity to reflect on her time and legacy at the Supreme Court and to consider what would be best for the institution which she heads as top magistrate,” he said.
Sereno took a wellness leave as the House of Representatives was conducting its last impeachment hearing on irregularities in Sereno’s statement of assets, liabilties, and net worth (SAKB) among others. /atm