Sereno camp defends P1.9-million hotel bill in Boracay

MANILA, Philippines — The camp of Chief Justice Ma. Lourdes Sereno yesterday defended the P1.9 million worth of hotel accommodations her office spent during a 2015 Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) conference in Boracay.

Lawyer Josa Deinla, one of the spokespersons for Sereno, said there was nothing irregular in the expenditure, citing the lack of notice of disallowance from the Commission on Audit (COA).

“Since Chief Justice Sereno became the top magistrate, the Supreme Court has not received any notice of disallowance from COA with respect to the use of SC funds. This means that all budget appropriated to the judiciary has been well spent and accounted for,” she said in a statement.

Deinla cited the testimony of Corazon Flores, chief of SC’s fiscal management and budget office, during the House impeachment proceedings last Wednesday.

Flores said her office presumed that the expenses during the conference were regular since the COA did not issue a notice of disallowance.

“I can’t say for certain that there was no bidding because we don’t have supporting documents, but we can assure you that our finance and accounting division complied with our documentary requirements,” Flores told the House panel.

“We didn’t get a notice of disallowance from the COA so our presumption was that the transaction was regular and the papers were complete at that time,” she said. 

Last Tuesday, two SC officials revealed that such hotel expense did not undergo a bidding process.

Deputy Court Administrator Thelma Bahia, chairman of SC’s bids and awards committee, and Ma. Carina Cunanan, procurement head and assistant chief of SC’s administrative services, confirmed that the Boracay expenses did not go through bidding.

Sereno’s lavish expenditure of judicial funds, including the purchase of a P5-million luxury service vehicle, was among the allegations in the impeachment complaint of lawyer Lorenzo Gadon.  

No impropriety

Meanwhile, Sereno denied allegations of impropriety in her appointment of the head of the SC’s technical working group for survivorship benefits.

In a statement released by her office, Sereno denied the allegation in the impeachment proceedings that she appointed lawyer Jocelyn Fabian as chair of the special committee because the latter was a fellow member of her Christian church.

Sereno said that Fabian is qualified for the position and underwent the regular application and screening process as she expressed “grave concern that her integrity and values – and even her Christian faith – are being unjustly besmirched.”

“Considering her background, Attorney Fabian is unquestionably highly qualified and well-equipped to assist the judiciary in the identification and resolution of its financial concerns. Her unshakable faith and obedience to the Lord’s guidance have allowed her to contribute tirelessly to the study, implementation and institutionalization of much needed systemic changes of a 117-year-old institution,” read the statement.

The Chief Justice explained that Fabian applied for the position in August 2012.

“There were two applicants for the Court Attorney vacancy at the time, and Atty. Fabian was found to be more qualified. After favorable recommendation of the interviewing panel and a final interview at which the Chief Justice met Atty. Fabian for the first time, Atty. Fabian was appointed in May 2013,” she recalled.