Solicitor General Jose Calida. (INQUIRER FILE PHOTO/LYN RILLON)
The ouster of former Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno will not vest new powers to the Office of the Solicitor General (OSG), Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said on Tuesday.
In a press briefing, Roque downplayed as “purely speculative” opinions stating that Sereno’s ouster through a quo warranto petition would empower the OSG to question qualifications of other impeachable officials in the government, such as the president.
“I think that’s purely speculative because what’s clear is that the quo warranto was filed against a specific government official who was required to file her SALNs by virtue of the Constitution and the law. So kung wala naman pong paglabag ng batas na ito hindi naman po magkakaroon ng ganitong kapangyarihan ang solictor general. So wala pong bagong kapangyarihan ang solicitor general,” he said.
“It vests no new powers because it’s already there in the Constitution,” he added.
Last Friday, the Supreme Court, voting 8-6, granted the quo warranto petition that sought to remove Sereno from office.
Solicitor General Jose Calida – the principal lawyer of the government – filed the quo warranto petition.
Pressed if President Rodrigo Duterte has already found the next chief justice, Roque said: “Wala pa po kasi magkakaroon pa po ng proseso ang Judicial and Bar Council.”
“The JBC will have to submit a shortlist for the candidates of the Chief Justice as well as another seat for the Supreme Court. Bukod pa po dun sa seat na iva-vacate ni Justice Velasco who would be retiring,” he continued.
Roque also doubted that the high court would reverse its ruling once Sereno’s camp files a motion for reconsideration.
“I will not speculate po, dahil ‘yan po ay tanging hukuman lang po ang makakasagot. I wish her all the best pero with the decision which is more than 150 pages, parang mahirap po yata ‘yun dahil mukhang pinag-isipan po talaga ng ating mga mahistrado ang kanilang desisyon,” he said. /kga