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| The controversial resolution |
CHIEF Justice Ma. Lourdes Sereno on Monday courted the senior justices of the Supreme Court (SC) so that they will not grill her today for allegedly issuing a fake resolution.
This came a day after the magistrates accused her of ordering the issuance of a fraudulent resolution regarding the opening of a Regional Court Administration Office (RCAO) in Visayas without authority from the court en banc.
According to a well-placed source of The Manila Times, Sereno went to the offices of Senior Justices Arturo Brion and Teresita Leonardo-de Castro to plead to them to not “revoke” or “recall” her resolution. She failed to talk with the other senior justices as they were out of their offices.
SC justices over the weekend junked Sereno’s order to issue a resolution ratifying her act for the revival and reopening of RCAO Region 7 in Cebu City. They also denied that they allowed Sereno to appoint Judge Geraldine Faith Econg to be the Officer in Charge of RCAO Region 7.
The irate magistrates said that Sereno is “fooling the court and the public.”
The court insider said that the chief justice would be in big trouble if the SC en banc will “revoke” or “recall” the resolution she issued.
“Hindi dapat palampasin dahil iligal ang ginawa ni Sereno [they should not let this pass because what she did was illegal],” the source said.
Sereno’s side
The Times tried to get the side of the chief justice but failed.
“Chief Justice Sereno has no comment at the moment,” said Lourdes Oliveros, head of Sereno’s judicial staff. “If there will ever be a statement coming from the chief justice, it will be coursed through the [High Court’s] PIO [Public Information Office].”
The Times also tried to reach SC spokesman Gleoresty Guerra for a statement but she said that there are no statements being issued by the Office of the Chief Justice.
The Times obtained a two-page Resolution of the SC en banc dated November 27, 2012 signed and promulgated by SC en banc Clerk of Court, lawyer Enriqueta Vidal.
A High Court justice said that Sereno will surely be questioned during the en banc session today because she exceeded her authority as a chief justice.
The magistrate also warned that it is a clear violation of the 1987 Constitution and can be a ground for her impeachment.
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