Christian Monsod: Senate should protest Sereno’s ouster

One of the framers of the 1987 Constitution said the Senate should protest the ouster of former Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno via quo warranto proceeding because the upper chamber was denied the exercise of its power to remove a chief justice.

“Senate should protest because the exercise of Supreme Court civil action is a derogation of the powers of the Senate who co-opted this process,”said Atty. Christian Monsod during the Quo Vadis, Quo Warranto Forum held at the Integrated Bar of the Philippines.

“The people are watching what they will do,” added Monsod, a member of the 1986 Constitutional Commission.

Under the 1987 Constitution, at least one-third of the House members need to vote in favor of the Articles of Impeachment before an impeachment case can proceed.

The case will then be elevated to the Senate sitting as an impeachment court to conduct the trial.

However, before the House of Representatives could take a vote on the articles of impeachment, Sereno was already ousted when the Supreme Court (SC) granted the quo warranto petition filed by Solicitor General Jose Calida.

The senators then issued a resolution that majority of its members signed, “respectfully” urging the SC to review its decision that ousted Sereno.

READ: Majority of senators sign resolution urging SC review of Sereno ouster

“The people are watching what they will do,” Monsod said.

“Impeachment is primarily a political act and it is not the Supreme Court that should hear it especially that one of its peers is the subject of the complaint,” he added. /vvp