Sereno camp: Latest complaint filed by Gadon shows his ‘ignorance of law’

Lorenzo “Larry” Gadon (File photo by NOY MORCOSO/INQUIRER.net)

The camp of Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno brushed off the latest complaint filed by lawyer Lorenzo “Larry” Gadon as a “desperate and laughable” attempt that showed his ignorance of the law.

In an statement on Saturday, Lawyer Josa Deinla, one of Sereno’s spokespersons, said it was a desperate attempt on Gadon’s part to oust the Chief Justice, knowing that his impeachment complaint was without any basis.

“By filing a complaint with the DOJ against a government official immune from suit and filing it with the wrong office only reinforces and further exposes (his) ignorance of the law and the processes,” Deinla said.

On Friday, Gadon filed a two-page complaint against Sereno before the DOJ for violation of the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act and the Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards for Public Officials and Employees.

Gadon said this was for Sereno’s alleged failure to submit her statement of assets, liabilities and networth for more than 15 years when she was teaching law at the University of the Philippines.

Deinla downplayed the latest complaint as another “publicity stunt to attract the attention of the public whose interest in the ongoing impeachment proceedings is waning.”

“They [public] know that all the allegations against the Supreme Court Chief Justice are mere concoctions to unjustly oust her,” she added.

Deinla stressed that Sereno has been accurately and properly filing her SALNs since she became a member of the Supreme Court in 2010 and as Chief Justice in 2012.

“Her earnings from private law practice before she became an Associate Justice are reflected in her income tax return filings and only the assets remaining from these earnings are reflected in her current SALNs,” she said.

Lawyer Carlo Cruz, another spokesperson for Sereno, said the Chief Justice was given a certificate of clearance dated Sept. 19, 2011 by the UP Human Resources Development Office.

Cruz said the clearance “affirmed that she has been cleared of all academic/administrative responsibilities.”

“This would of course, include the SALN requirements,” the lawyer stressed. /atm