Judiciary ‘tainted’ by ouster of Sereno without impeachment trial – Robredo

Vice President Leni Robredo (Photo from a video posted on her Facebook timeline)

Vice President Leni Robredo on Friday criticized the decision of the Supreme Court to remove Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno without an impeachment trial, saying it had “compromised” the judiciary.

“Ang desisyon ng Kataas-taasang Hukuman na paboran ang quo warranto petition ay tahasang pagyurak sa pinaka-sagradong institusyon ng ating bayan – ang ating Saligang Batas… Lubos tayong nababahala sa desisyong ito,” she said in a televised address on Friday, shortly after the court handed down its decision.

[The decision of the highest court favoring the quo warranto petition is an explicit attack on our country’s most sacred institution – our Constitution. We are very concerned about this decision.]

“Sa hindi pagbasura ng quo qarranto petition, maraming tanong ang kailangang harapin,” she added. “Ngayong nakompromiso na ang pinaka-pundasyon ng ating hudikatura, kanino na tatakbo ang mga Pilipino para sa patas na laban at kahit kapiraso man lang na katarungan? Saan na tayo dudulog kung ang pinaka-integridad ng institusyon na ating sandigan ay siya nang nadungisan?”

[By not junking the quo warranto petition, they will have to answer many questions. Now that the very foundation of the judiciary has been compromised, where will Filipinos run to get a fair fight and even a bit of justice? Where will we go when the very integrity of the institution we can run to for help has been tainted?]

The Vice President called on the public to unite in defending the country’s judicial system and Constitution.

“Hinihikayat natin ang sambayanang Pilipino na patuloy na bantayan ang mga susunod na pangyayari, at pag-isahin natin ang ating boses para ipagtanggol ang institusyon ng ating hudikatura, ang Saligang Batas at, higit sa lahat, ang ating demokrasya,” Robredo said.

[We are encouraging the Filipino people to continue to monitor coming events and to unite our voice in defending the judiciary, the Constitution, and above all, our democracy.]

Voting 8-6, the Supreme Court ousted Sereno in a quo warranto petition filed by Solicitor General Jose Calida.

Sereno was removed for her supposed failure to meet the integrity requirement for members of the judiciary.

But Robredo said the fight was not yet over.

“Bilang Pangalawang Pangulo, tinitiyak ko sa inyo: Hindi pa tapos ang laban, lalo na’t naging malapit ang botohan sa isang mabigat na desisyon tulad nito,” she said. “Sama-sama nating isulong ang lahat ng nararapat na hakbang para itama ang pagkakamaling ito. Ito ang tanging paraan para manumbalik ang tiwala ng taumbayan.”

[As Vice President, I assure you: The fight is not yet over, especially considering that the voting on this big decision was so close. Let us unite in taking the steps necessary to right this wrong. This is the only way to regain the trust of the people.] /atm