Larry Gadon, the lawyer who filed an impeachment complaint against Chief Justice on leave Maria Lourdes Sereno, has accused officials of Integrated Bar of the Philippines (IBP) of receiving allowances from the Supreme Court (SC).
“Gusto tipirin ng hudikatura yung budget nila para dun sa mga ibang nakalaan, yung mga naisip niyang kagarbuhan niya. Under Sereno SC binibigyan niya ng allowance yung IBP officials so kita niyo kampi na kampi sa kanya ang mga IBP officials,” Gadon said Tuesday in his speech at a forum held in Camp Aguinaldo.
Gadon had also earlier threatened to file disbarment cases against IBP officials who are supporting Sereno.
In his speech, Gadon said one of the reasons why he had filed the impeachment case against Sereno was her delay in approving the release of survivorship benefits for the surviving spouses of justices and judges.
“May mga naiwan na mga asawa ng mga justices na namatay. Yung mga kababaihan nasa 95 percent ang edad mga nasa 80 anyos. Yung isa 84 years old namatay, di niya natanggap ang benepisyo bilang balo ng isang justice na namatay,” said Gadon.
Instead of approving the survivorship benefits, Gadon said Sereno bought a vehicle worth P5 million and spent an additional P4 million to make it bullet-proof.
“Pabyahe-byahe pa sa abroad ng business class. Yung mga balo yung mga benepisyo para sa kanila under the law binibigay,” Gadon said.
Sereno, who was accused of failing to fully declare her wealth, is currently on leave for in preparation for her impending impeachment trial at the Senate. /muf