Palace insists it has nothing to do with impeach bid vs Sereno

Don’t look at us.

Malacañang again distanced itself from the ongoing impeachment proceedings at the House of Representatives against Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno.

Sereno, who is widely expected to be impeached by congressmen, went on “indefinite leave” starting March 1 to prepare for his impending impeachment trial at the Senate, which would become an impeachment court after the House of Representatives transmits the impeach complaint against the top magistrate to the upper chamber.

READ: Sereno goes on leave, gets ready for impeachment trial

Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque maintained on Thursday that Malacañang has nothing to do with the impeachment proceedings against the Chief Justice at the lower House.

Similarly, President Rodrigo Duterte had earlier denied having a hand on the impeachment complaint against Sereno, as the Chief Justice hinted that the Chief Executive could be behind the impeach bid against her.

“Ang masasabi ko lang po ay huwag naman po ituro ang Palasyo sa impeachment na ‘yan gaya ng kanyang nasabi noong mga nakalipas na araw. Malinaw na po na ang nagbibigay ng testimonya laban sa kanya, sariling niyang kasama sa kataas-taasang hukuman,” Roque said in a Palace briefing.

Roque said it is now up to Sereno whether to resign from her post or retire from service. Roque had previously called on Sereno to resign in order “to spare the institution from any further damage.”

READ: Palace to Sereno: Resign, spare Supreme Court

“Hindi ko po alam, bahala po siya.  Ang punto kasi hindi ko po alam if she’s entitled to retire because she’s fairly young. I know that, hindi ko lang po alam talaga kung anong sistema nila and bahala na po siya mag-decide sa issue na ‘yan,” he said.

But in a statement also on Thursday, Sereno maintained she would not resign.

READ: Sereno: ‘This indefinite leave is not a resignation’

Roque, however, has said that Sereno should use his indefinite leave to reflect and “consider what would be best for the institution which she heads as top magistrate.”

READ: Palace: Sereno should use her leave to reflect on legacy at SC

“So ang sa amin lang,’ yung huling statement namin diyan eh sana talagang magmuni-muni si Chief Justice kung ano talagang dapat gawin dahil hindi lang naman ito personal na kaso lang ng Chief Justice, nakasalalay din po dito ang integridad ng Korte Suprema, ang hudikatura bilang isang institution,” he said.             /kga