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BY ADRIAN STEWART CO
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Saturday, March 3, 2018
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MANILA – Embattled Supreme Court Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno said she expects to be given a fair trial when the Senate hears the impeachment complaint against her.
In a speech at an event at the University of Baguio, the on-leave Chief Justice reiterated she has no plan of leaving her post unless the verdict from the Senate impeachment court says so.
“I ask only one thing from the political leaders, only one thing: Give me my day in the Senate impeachment court or admit that there is no probable cause (to impeach me),” said Sereno.
She added: “If they were so sure of their evidence even to the point of perjuring themselves with baseless accusations that I committed a harvest of sins against the people, why not bring it to the Senate?”
Sereno also berated her accuser, lawyer Lorenzo “Larry” Gadon, who has earlier issued a threat to file charges against her staff if the Chief Justice won’t step down by March 1.
“I do not owe anyone the duty to resign,” said Sereno. “I owe the people the duty to tell my story.”
“I am hopeful that after the impeachment trial, days of renewal for the Supreme Court can still be forged, united by the common desire to serve our people and protect their constitutional rights especially in these troubled times,” she said.
Sereno is being accused of culpable violation of the Constitution, betrayal of public trust, corruption and other high crimes for her alleged litany of lapses, including the alleged untruthful declaration of her wealth.
The House of Representatives’ Justice Committee led by Cong. Reynaldo Umali is set to vote on the existence of probable cause in the impeachment complaint lodged against Sereno on March 7.
Sereno is the second Supreme Court Chief Justice to face impeachment after then Chief Justice Renato Corona was impeached in 2012 for miscdelaring his Statements of Assets Liabilities and Net Worth./PN
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