SC summons Sereno for oral arguments

Members of the Coalition for Justice, some of them senior citizens from various parts of the country, picketed the summer compound of the Supreme Court on Tuesday (April 3). They urged the court to dismiss a quo warranto petition that would unseat Chief Justice-on-leave Ma. Lourdes Sereno without undergoing impeachment. Photos by EV ESPIRITU

The Supreme Court on Tuesday ruled in favor of a motion by Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno for oral arguments on a petition seeking to oust her without resorting to impeachment, a constitutional mandate.

Sereno, who had gone on indefinite leave, was directed to appear before the high court on April 10, according to lawyer Theodore Te, Supreme Court chief information officer.

IBP role

Sereno had asked the high court, which was holding summer sessions in Baguio City, to hold an open debate on the quo warranto petition filed by Solicitor General Jose Calida, who is seeking a shortcut to Sereno’s ouster by declaring her appointment in 2012 by then President Benigno Aquino III as void from the start.

Calida filed the petition at the behest of Eligio Mallari, a suspended lawyer.

The high court also took note of the Integrated Bar of the Philippines’ (IBP) motion to participate in the proceedings as intervenor, after its board of governors challenged Calida’s petition in the Supreme Court on March 23.

Similar motions filed by the militant Makabayan bloc in the House of Representatives and Sereno’s supporters to participate as intervenors were denied, though.

Calida’s petition was anchored on Rule No. 66 of the Rules of Court, which empowers the Solicitor General to sue anyone for usurpation of public office, position or franchise.

Applying it to Sereno, Calida claimed her appointment as Chief Justice was void from the start because of her failure to submit a complete set of statements of assets and liabilities.

Same petition

The court had ruled against a similar petition filed by Marcos loyalist, Oliver Lozano, on March 1.

Court security personnel were caught off guard, when at least 50 protesters marched to the front gate of the Supreme Court compound here, chanting “Protect democracy.”

The protesters demanded that Sereno be given her “day in court” at the Senate, which would act as an impeachment court. —REPORTS FROM VINCENT CABREZA, KARLSTON LAPNITEN AND MARLON RAMOS