Senate to discuss reso on quo warranto on Wednesday

MANILA, Philippines — The Senate will discuss a resolution on the Supreme Court’s ruling on the quo warranto petition that ousted Maria Lourdes Sereno as chief justice in plenary on Wednesday, Senate Majority Leader Juan Miguel Zubiri said.

In a report on ABS-CBN, Zubiri told reporters that the Senate Committee on Rules discussed Senate Resolution 738 on Monday and moved for the resolution to be calendared for discussion and debate on the Senate floor.

As majority leader, Zubiri chairs the Committee on Rules.

The said resolution, signed by 14 lawmakers, expresses the sense of the Senate “to uphold the Constitution on the matter of removing a Chief Justice from office and respectfully urge the [SC] to review its decision to nullify the appointment of Maria Lourdes Sereno as Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of the Philippines.”

Zubiri, recalling what transpired in the committee meeting, said that there were “some senators that feel that the timing was wrong.”

He added that some of his colleagues feel that it is “too premature” to discuss the ruling, while some raised that “it should be brought out before the final decision is made by the SC.”

The 14 senators who signed the resolution said that the Senate has the constitutional mandate and exclusive power to remove an impeachable officer, such as a chief justice.

Sereno has yet to file her appeal of the SC’s decision on Solicitor General Jose Calida’s quo warranto petition against her.

Her camp said that they received the ruling on May 15. Under the rules, they have 15 days to file a motion for reconsideration.

Should their appeal be dismissed by the SC, entry of judgment will follow and the ruling will be deemed final.

 Senate President Vicente “Tito” Sotto III said last week that he is not too keen on asserting the Senate’s jurisdiction over the case. He said that he does not want to “interfere” with the Judiciary.

READ: Sotto on quo warranto resolution: I don't interfere with the Judiciary

But the Senate leader said that should the resolution reach the plenary, they will discuss it. — Kristine Joy Patag