Sereno asks for extension to comply with SC's show cause order

MANILA, Philippines — The camp of ousted Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno has asked the Supreme Court to extend its deadline for filing a compliance on the show cause order it issued on her alleged violation of the Code for Judicial Conduct.

Lawyer Josalee Deinla, one of Sereno’s spokespersons, said in a message to reporters that a motion for extension was filed on Friday. She said that they asked the high court to be given 15 days more to respond to the show cause order it issued on May 11.

A copy of motion has yet to be made public as of reporting.

READ: SC asks Sereno to explain why she shouldn't be punished for 'ill motives' vs justices

The SC issued the landmark ruling that ousted Sereno, a sitting chief justice, on May 11. The 14 justices voted 8-6 to grant Solicitor General Jose Calida’s quo warranto petition against Sereno. The said ruling reaps strong criticisms from the legal profession, lawmakers, academe and several groups as they asserted that the Constitution only allows an impeachment case as legal recourse to oust a chief justice.

In the same decision, the high tribunal also asked Sereno to explain why she should not be sanctioned for allegedly violating the Code of Professional Responsibility and the Code of Judicial Conduct for transgressing the sub judice rule—a prohibition on public discussion of an ongoing case.

She was also ordered to explain why she should not be sanctioned for “casting aspersions and ill motives to the Members of the Supreme Court.”

Sereno’s license as a lawyer may be hanging on her compliance to the show cause order.

The SC, through the decision penned by Associate Justice Noel Tijam, said that Sereno “may be held liable for disbarment for violating the Canons of Professional Responsibility for violating the sub judice rule by repeatedly discussing the merits of the quo warranto petition.”

The ousted chief justice might also lose her license for her public remarks calling out her colleagues for allegedly showing bias against her, which the SC said was “designed to affect the results of the Court’s collegial vote and influence public opinion.”

The ruling also reads: "This wrongful actuation [exemplifies] a poor regard for the judicial system and may amount to conduct unbecoming of a Justice and a lawyer."

READ: Sereno may face disbarment for public remarks against SC

Integrated Bar of the Philippines President Abdiel Fajardo earlier said that the disbarment or any other sanction against a lawyer is “proportionate to the alleged offense.”

“Normally, offensive language is sanctioned only with [a] reprimand, fine or light suspension,” added Fajardo.