House Majority Leader Rodolfo Fariñas
“Out of respect to a co-equal department,” the House of Representatives should wait for the Supreme Court’s (SC) resolution on the motion for reconsideration (MR) if one is filed by ousted Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno, House Majority Leader Rodolfo Fariñas said Friday.
Fariñas was reacting to the High Court’s 8-6 ruling that granted the quo warranto petition that sought to remove Sereno from office. The quo warranto petition was filed by Solicitor General Jose Calida – the principal lawyer of the government – who questioned the qualification of Sereno as the country’s top magistrate.
The House Leader said the committee on rules would wait for the final resolution of the SC on the matter of the appointment of Sereno before it brings the matter for consideration of Plenary.
“Under our Rules, the Committee on Rules has ten (10) session days from receipt of the Report of the Committee on Justice to calendar it for consideration by the House,” he explained.
The House only has nine session days before they adjourn sine die.
While the SC said that its decision is “immediately executory without [the] need of further action from the Court,” Sereno’s camp said they are still planning to file an MR.
“The sole purpose of [the] impeachment proceeding is the removal of an officer from office. If such officer is no longer holding that office, the impeachment proceeding obviously becomes moot and academic,” Fariñas said./ac
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