LOOK: Supporters, critics lock down Padre Faura as Sereno fate hangs

The usual solemn surrounding of the Supreme Court (SC) was filled with cries and calls of thousands of supporters and critics of Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno on Friday, barely an hour before the opening of the scheduled special en banc session of the high tribunal.

The en banc was set to start by 10 a.m., and the SC justices are expected to tackle the quo warranto petition filed by Solicitor General Jose Calida against Sereno. The ouster case seeks to nullify Sereno’s appointment as the country’s top magistrate with the government’s principal lawyer questioning Sereno;s qualification for the position.

Manila Police District Spokesperson Erwin Margarejo said the crowd estimate as of 8:00 a.m. reached around 1,600.

Padre Faura Street is currently on a lockdown amid the ongoing programs of various groups including Sereno’s supporters – the Coalition for Justice, Akbayan, Taskforce Democracy and Human Rights, and Tindig Pilipinas – as well as Sereno’s critics led by Lawyer Ferdinand Topacio. /kga