Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno (File photo from Philippine Daily Inquirer)
Supreme Court (SC) Associate Justices clarified on Thursday that Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno took an indefinite leave.
The magistrates also said pronouncements of Sereno’s spokespersons, claiming the Chief Justice would merely be on a “wellness leave,” have “seriously damaged” the judiciary’s integrity.
“The Court en banc regrets the confusion that the announcements and media releases of the spokespersons of the Chief Justice have caused, which seriously damaged the integrity of the Judiciary in general and the Supreme Court in particular,” the high court justices’ statement noted as read in a press conference by Information Chief Atty. Theodore Te.
Thirteen justices of the SC signed the statement, namely: Senior Associate Justice Antonio T. Carpio; and Associate Justices Presbitero J. Velasco Jr., Teresita J. Leonardo-De Castro, Diosdado M. Peralta, Lucas P. Bersamin, Mariano C. Del Castillo, Estela M. Perlas-Bernabe, Marvic M.V.F Leonen, Francis H. Jardeleza, Samuel R. Martires, Noel Gimenez Tijam, Andres B. Reyes Jr., and Alexander G. Gesmundo.
Only Associate Justice Alfredo Benjamin S. Caguioa was not able to sign the statement because he is currently on leave. /kga