Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno seems to be afraid of her own backyard, Solicitor General Jose Calida said on Saturday.
In a series of tweets, Calida slammed Sereno for saying that while she was fighting for judicial independence, she also urged her fellow Supreme Court (SC) justices not to entertain the quo warranto petition he had filed against her.
In his petition, Calida said that Sereno is invalidly holding her current post since she failed to submit the complete requirements when she applied as Chief Justice.
“If indeed Sereno is the champion of judicial independence, why doesn’t she trust her peers and colleagues at the Supreme Court to judge the quo warranto case filed against her?” Calida asked.
“Instead, Sereno insists that the politicians in the Senate should try and judge her. Why is she afraid of the judiciary?” he added.
Sereno bragging that she is fiercely "fighting" for judicial independence.
If indeed Sereno is the champion of judicial independence, why doesn’t she trust her peers and colleagues at the Supreme Court to judge the quo warranto case filed against her? https://t.co/JMZaXAPSrd
— Jose Callangan Calida (@SolGenCalida) March 10, 2018
Sereno’s camp on Monday, March 5, issued a statement urging the High Court en banc not to entertain Calida’s quo warranto petition for being baseless.
“The Supreme Court ought not to entertain the quo warranto petition for it has absolutely no basis in law and in the Constitution. The High Tribunal should dismiss the petition outright on the basis that quo warranto is not a proper remedy,” her camp’s statement read.
“Under the 1987 Constitution, the Chief Justice may only be removed from office upon impeachment by the House of Representatives and conviction by the Senate, sitting as an impeachment court,” it added.
READ: Sereno ouster by peers rather than Senate ‘an act of kindness’—SolGen
Calida said the statement issued by Sereno’s camp will only “degrade” and “weaken” the judiciary.
“Does she believe that the senators are more adept than the Supreme Court justices in resolving constitutional and legal issues?” Calida asked.
Instead, Sereno insists that the politicians in the Senate should try and judge her.
Why is she afraid of the judiciary?
Does she believe that the Senators are more adept than the Supreme Court justices in resolving constitutional and legal issues? https://t.co/JMZaXAPSrd
— Jose Callangan Calida (@SolGenCalida) March 10, 2018
“Sereno is not fighting for judicial independence. On the contrary, she is degrading and weakening the judiciary,” Calida stressed.
“How can the judiciary be independent when its chief justice relies on the legislature to decide her case? Isn’t that a brazen hypocrisy?” he suggested.
Sereno is not fighting for judicial independence.
On the contrary, she is degrading and weakening the judiciary.
How can the judiciary be independent when its “Chief Justice” relies on the legislature to decide her case?
Isn’t that a brazen hypocrisy? https://t.co/JMZaXAPSrd
— Jose Callangan Calida (@SolGenCalida) March 10, 2018
READ: SC orders Sereno to comment on Calida’s quo warranto petition
The SC, following an en banc session on Tuesday, March 6, ordered Sereno to respond to Calida’s petition within 10 days from the receipt of notice. /muf