‘Resign!’ judges, court employees tell Sereno

Judges and court employees on Monday called on Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno to make the “supreme sacrifice” and resign.

Erwin Ocson, president of Supreme Court Employees Association (SCEA), read a joint manifesto during the flag ceremony at the Supreme Court (SC) and “pleaded” with Sereno to give up her post “for her sake and the sake of the Filipino people.”

“Kami ang buong puwersa ng Hudikatura, na kinabibilangan ng mga huwes, opiysal at mga kawani sa ilalim ng inyong pamamahala, ay nakikiusap sa Inyo, mahal naming Punong Mahistrado, Maria Lourdes P.A. Sereno pang Gawin ang na ang napapanahon at nararapat na sakripisyo para sa ating Hudikatura, ang Institusyon na inyong pinaglalaanan ng panahon at pagmamahal ng mga nakalipas na taon,”  Ocson said.

“Kami po ay nananawagan, para na rin po sa kapakanan ng buong Sambayanang Pilipino, na kayo ay bumaba na sa puwesto bilang Punong Mahistrado o Chief Justice,”  he  added.

Sereno spokesperson lawyer Josalee Deinla, said they were saddened and bothered by the implications of the appeal for the Chief Justice to resign.

“Unang-una ay hinusgahan na nila ang ating Punong Mahistrado gayung hindi pa siya nabibigyan ng tunay na pagkakataon para mapakinggan,” Deinla said over radio dzMM.

Deinla said the Chief Justice had been appealing to the court employees to reject the “rumors and lies” that had been circulating until she was given her day in court.

Sereno’s spokesperson reminded court employees “who make up the unions and the service associations that signed the statement, that they have the duty to protect judicial independence” by obeying the Constitution.

“The Constitution says that the Chief Justice must go through the process of impeachment to ferret out the truth. It is only through impeachment that she can be judged,” Deinla continued.

Among the groups that signed the manifesto were Supreme Court Assembly of Lawyer Employees (SCALE), Philippine Association of Court Employees (PACE), SCEA, and the Sandiganbayan Employees Association (SBEA).

The flag ceremony was again tagged as “Red Monday” as Supreme Court officials and employees wore red in support to the justices who asked Sereno to go an indefinite leave.

Present during the flag ceremony and having a touch of red on their clothes, were Associate Justices Presbitero Velasco, Teresita Leonardo De Castro, Diosdado Peralta, Lucas Bersamin, Mariano Del Castillo, Francis Jardeleza, Samuel Martires, and Noel Tijam.

Senior Associate Justice Antonio Carpio and retired Associate Justice Adolf Azcuna were also present.

According to the manifesto, the pending impeachment case of Sereno has put the name of the institution in “disrepute, thereby affecting the honor and integrity of its justices, judges, officials.”

“The Court can no longer endure a prolonged environment of this kind. Its officials and personnel, truly dedicated and conscientious public servants, cannot go through another set of hearings and go against each other again in the Senate,” it said.

“Chief Justice, let us please not allow history to judge you as the first woman Chief Justice, and the youngest at that, to be removed from office,”

“Kaya po buong kababaan ng loob ay sama-sama kaming nanawagan sa inyo mahal naming Punong Mahistrado, na kaagad ninyong lisanin ang inyong puwesto, magparaya sa susunod na mamumuno at bigyan ang kabuuan ng Hudikatura ng pagkakataon na patuloy na sumulong at maibalik ang katahimikan at kaayusan dito,” it added.

Last week, the justice committee of the House of Representatives found probably cause to impeach Sereno with 38 members of the House voted in favor while 2 voted against.

Sereno’s spokesperson took a swipe at those who “started” the controversy.

“Sino ba ang nagsimula ng impeachment na ito?” Deinla said. “Sino ba yung tahimik na naninilbihan at naistorbo sa kanyang panunungkulan bilang Punong Mahistrado?”

Deinla then chided those who “took part in the hearings of the committee and aired dirty robes about issues in the Supreme Court that had long been resolved?”

She was apparently referring to hearings of the House committee on justice which looked into the allegations against Sereno. Several Supreme Court associated justices testified in the hearings./cbb

READ: House justice panel finds probable cause to impeach Sereno

FULL VIDEO:

https://www.facebook.com/cathy.miranda.315428/videos/205705743515946/