CA justice: Sereno 'advice' to seek SC support in row with House improper

MANILA, Philippines — A justice of the Court of Appeals said that she found Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno's "advice" to file a petition on a disagreement with the House of Representatives showed a "lack of delicadeza."

On Tuesday, the House justice panel tackled the allegation that Sereno committed high crime when "she met with Presiding Justice and Associate Justices of the Court of Appeals and instructing them not to comply with the processes of the HOR on 'Ilocos Six' release."

CA Justice Remedios Salazar-Fernando sat as a resource speaker at the hearing. She said that the CA justices received word from Sereno to elevate the case of the "Ilocos 6" to the Supreme Court. She said Sereno's advice showed a "lack of delicadeza or lack of propriety." 

Fernando confirmed that on June 21, 2017, CA Presiding Justice Andres Reyes Jr. — now a Supreme Court justice — told CA justices that he had met with Sereno on the matter.

READ: Sereno tackles ‘Ilocos 6’ row with CA justices

Fernando said that Reyes called for an emergency meeting, "only to inform us that he just came from the SC upon the invite of the chief justice."

Fernando said that Reyes told them that "he was given assurance by the chief justice that the chief justice and the SC will protect the CA."

The House of Representatives and the judiciary were at loggerheads last June over the case of six Ilocos Norte provincial officials who were detained at the House for contempt.

The CA ordered the release of the "Ilocos 6" but the House refused to heed the order. It insisted that the appellate court has no jurisdiction over a legislative proceeding.

Sereno and Reyes also issued a joint statement calling on the House leadership to reconsider a show-cause order issued to justices of the appeals court, citing its "implications on separation of powers and judicial independence."

House Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez reportedly dismissed the call and told Sereno to discipline the CA justices.

Fernando disclosed that Sereno advised the justices to seek relief from the high court.

"[Sereno] advised the three justices to file a petition before the Court of Appeals, with temporary restraining order and she will take care of it," Fernando said.

Fernando, while careful not to call the move an "intervention" but just "advice," said that, in her personal opinion, what Sereno did was improper.

Sereno, in her verified answer on Gadon's complaint said: "Then CA Presiding Justice (now Supreme Court Associate Justice) Andres B. Reyes, Jr. conferred with the Chief Justice in connection with the show-cause order of the HOR. The Chief Justice essentially advised him that the CA Justices should consider their own legal remedies."

The House justice committee, which also calls itself the impeachment committee, is on its 10th day of deliberations on whether the impeachment rap filed by Larry Gadon has probable cause to warrant a trial by the Senate.

READ: Point by point: Sereno answers impeachment complaint