Sereno says she rejected suggestions to reach out to Duterte

Woman of the Hour: Ousted Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno bares groups tried to arrange a meeting with Duterte. PHOTO/Jhoanna Ballaran, INQUIRER.net

Ousted Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno proudly said on Friday that she had refused to compromise her independence up until the end, disclosing that there were offers from individuals to broker a meeting between her and President Rodrigo Duterte.

Sereno said the offers came as soon as an impeachment complaint was filed against her at the House of Representatives but she refused to accept such invitations.

“May mga ideya na po na ganyan na ang parang sinasabi na ang solusyon sa problema mo ay isang pakikipag-usap o pakikipagbati [kay Presidente],” Sereno said in a press briefing hours after the Supreme Court en banc issued its decision on the controversial quo warranto petition against her.

(Those ideas that were floated, that the solution to my problem is to engage in talks or a truce.)

“Ngunit ang sinabi ko po halimbawa pong sabihin natin na nakikipag-usap ako sa mga malalakas na politiko, ano po ang sasabihin ng taong bayan?” she added.

(But I told them, what if I talked to powerful politicians, what will the people say?)

Voting 8-6, the SC granted on Friday the Solicitor General’s petition for quo warranto questioning Sereno’s qualification as the chief magistrate.

The High Court said the decision is immediately executory and declared the position of the Chief Justice vacant.

 
READ: Peers kick Sereno out via Calida’s QW<

Sereno said Duterte’s hand was evident in her ouster, saying that if “he does not want it, it could have ended” the Solicitor General’s quo warranto plea.

The ousted Chief Justice in April asked Duterte to explain why the Solicitor General, the government’s chief legal counsel, initiated the petition against her.

This prompted Duterte to declare war against Sereno, ordering his partymates at the House of Representatives to fast-track the impeachment against her.

“I’m putting you on notice that I’m your enemy and you have to be out of the Supreme Court,” Duterte said in a speech.

“I will see to it and after that, I will request the Congress go into the impeachment right away,” he added./ac

READ: If Duterte doesn’t know, why is ouster petitioner SolGen? – Sereno

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