Is this a sign that the embattled Chief
Justice of the Supreme Court Maria Lourdes Sereno is just strategizing or is
she feeling the heat.
Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno is
currently facing impeachment proceedings before the House of Representatives
committee on justice. The Chief Justice has been on the defensive end since a
complaint for her impeachment has been endorsed by twenty five members of the
House.
Serreno is accused of culpable violation of
the Constitution, corruption, other high crimes and betrayal of public trust.
According to her lawyer spokesperson Josa Deinla, the
Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Serreno would go on leave of absence beginning
March 1.
The reason given by Attorney Deinla was
that the Chief Justice would be on a wellness leave to prepare her defense on
the ongoing impeachment case filed by lawyer Larry Gadon.
“She’s filing a
wellness leave, effective March 1 to 15 during which she intends to prepare her
defense. That leave was originally scheduled on March 15 to 23,” Deinla said in
text message sent to the Philippine News Agency- a government media outfit.
Senior Associate
Justice Antonio Carpio will be the acting Chief Justice once Sereno's leave of
absence begins on Thursday.
Oriental Mindoro
Representative and House justice committee chair Reynaldo Umali welcomes the
top magistrate’s move.
“This is welcome
news to the Filipino people. This will give her time to reflect on what would
be best for the judiciary which she heads,” Representative Umali said.
In the complaint
file by atty. Gadon he alleges that Sereno did not declare in her Statement of
Assets, Liabilities and Net Worth (SALN) the “exorbitant lawyer’s fees” of
USD745,000 or PHP37 million which she received from the Philippine government.
Atty. Gadon is
very confident that the issue as regards the Chief Justice SALN non-declaration
is the strongest case he for the eventual impeachment of the Chief
Justice.
The other issues
in the filed complaint alleges that Sereno committed corruption when she, among
other things, used public funds to: finance her extravagant and lavish
lifestyle by ordering the purchase of a brand-new luxurious Toyota Land Cruiser
2017 model as her personal vehicle, amounting to more than PHP5 million; and
stay in opulent hotels when attending conferences in the country and abroad.
Source: PNA
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