De Castro turns emotional in denying Sereno’s ‘reaching out’ statement
The oral argument on Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno quo warranto case. PHOTO/Supreme Court PIO
Associate Justice Teresita Leonardo-De Castro was emotional when she denied on Tuesday that she rebuked Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno when she reached out to her upon her appointment as chief magistrate in 2012.
“There is a ground in your comment that you mentioned which I vehemently deny, especially the conversation [but] it never happened,” De Castro said.
De Castro was referring to Sereno’s statement claiming that when she tried to reach out to De Castro upon her appointment as Chief Justice, she was told: “I can never forgive your accepting the chief justiceship.”
READ: I will never forgive you for accepting the chief justiceship
Sereno tried to talk but De Castro cut her off: “Excuse me, I am not yet done.”
“In my honor, the conversation you said never happened,” De Castro said. She said she will explain further when she submitted her reason why she refused to inhibit from the quo warranto case against Sereno.
“Let us not belabor more on this issue because you will have your chance to say something about it when I explain all the grounds and allegations that you raised in a proper opinion that I am going to issue thereon,” De Castro further said.
Sereno said De Castro must issue her opinion before the main decision on the quo warranto comes out.
“Do not preempt my decision with respect to that because I am going to consult the court en banc as to the timing. It will be subject to the approval of the court en banc,” De Castro said adding that she will no longer answer Sereno’s questions.
“It is you who are under oath,” De Castro said.
“You also took an oath Justice De Castro,” Sereno said.
