MANILA – Supreme Court Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno said a “formidable machinery” is funding detractors plotting to remove her from office.
In a speech during the “Women vs Strongman” forum at the University of the Philippines – Diliman on Thursday night, Sereno hit critics for hurling all kinds of accusations against her.
“It has been nearly eight months, this unceasing attack against my person and my office. Apparently funded by a formidable machinery, the complaint and its ever-expanding scope has attempted to hurl all kinds of charges against me,” Sereno said.
“The complainant and his enablers are endeavoring to bring up imagined trespasses committed by me as early as when I was just 26 years old and starting my career here in UP. It’s a wonder they didn’t try to dig up my high school record,” she added.
“If all impeachment or resignation schemes succeed, no one, not one man, especially not one woman, will be safe in this country. Everyone will have to look for political patron to save himself from incessant harassment, threats and bullying,” said Sereno.
The Chief Justice also said she was delighted with the move of the Integrated Bar of the Philippines and the Makabayan bloc to file an intervention before the Supreme Court with regards to the quo warranto petition filed against her by the Office of the Solicitor General (OSG).
“Many judges, many of them women, boldly demanded that their neutrality be respected and that judicial independence be upheld. They refused to join 20 judges who called for my resignation,” Sereno said./PN
