MANILA, Philippines — Judges and court employees yesterday rallied to show their support for Supreme Court (SC) justices amid mounting criticisms over their decision to oust Ma. Lourdes Sereno as chief justice last May 11.
Again wearing red in their flag-raising ceremony, the judiciary personnel called for sobriety and respect for the high court’s ruling that granted the quo warranto petition of the solicitor general and invalidated Sereno’s appointment in 2012.
“The Supreme Court has spoken. Let us accept this decision with full respect and compliance. Let us follow the Rule of Law,” the organizations of judges and court employees stressed in a joint statement read during the event.
“The interpretation and application of the Constitution, laws and rules exclusively belong to the Supreme Court. Not to the Executive Department. Not to Congress. Not to media. Not to the practicing lawyers and law students. Not to the clergy. Not even to the people,” they explained.
The group also expressed support for the 14 magistrates of the high court who voted 8-6 to remove Sereno, whom they earlier asked to resign supposedly to spare the judiciary from humiliation.
“We believe that our 14 justices were able to demonstrate their freedom to decide and vote, either for the majority or minority... The existence of the six dissenting opinions only showed that the overall decision of the High Court went through deep and extensive discussion and process,” they stressed in the statement.
“The interpretation and application of the Constitution, laws and rules exclusively belong to the Supreme Court... And the justices of the Court must be free to decide impartially, in accordance with the proven facts and the applicable law, inspired conscience, without regard to what the people may desire, and without fear of reprisal, intimidation, threats of impeachment, corrupting influence of political groups and other unworthy motives,” they said. “This is the real essence of judicial independence.”
The judges and court employees further pointed out that while the decision was immediately executory, Sereno may still file a motion for reconsideration that the justices could tackle the appeal as mandated by the Constitution.
Sereno’s camp is expected to file the appeal on May 30 before the 15-day period for filing of appeal under court rules shall have lapsed.
“We respect the freedom of speech of everyone, but all of this has its limit. It does not include threatening, disrespecting and shaming of justices and efforts to weaken the whole of the Supreme Court. We will fight those who will try to divide or weaken it,” they stressed.