Sereno reprimanded by Supreme Court for remarks against justices

MANILA, Philippines — After removing her from the top judicial post, the Supreme Court (SC) yesterday sanctioned ousted chief justice Maria Lourdes Sereno for the public statements she issued earlier on the quo warranto case.

In session yesterday, justices of the high court voted unanimously to cite Sereno in contempt and penalize her with a “reprimand” that also carries a warning of harsher punishment if she repeats the violations. The former chief justice, they ruled, violated the Code of Professional Responsibility and the Code of Judicial Conduct.

This penalty was specifically for Sereno’s statements on the quo warranto case filed against her by Solicitor General Jose Calida. The Court said these violated the sub judice rule, which prohibits parties from discussing merits of their pending case before the public.

“The Court, acting on the show cause order in its May 11, 2018 decision, reprimanded respondent with a stern warning that a repetition of the same acts will merit a heavier penalty,” SC spokesman Theodore Te announced in a press conference.

Also cited as basis for the administrative sanction is Sereno’s public remarks against six justices who voted to oust her despite the plea for their inhibition because of their alleged biases and after they testified in impeachment hearings at the House of Representatives.

While the Court reprimanded Sereno, the penalty imposed was actually the lightest possible sanction. An insider told The STAR that several justices actually pushed for harsher penalties like suspension for two months.

“It could have been suspension from law practice. But most of the justices believed that a reprimand would suffice. It’s out of pity since she already lost her position,” the source revealed.

The SC initiated the administrative case and issued a show cause order against Sereno when it ordered her removal from office and invalidated her appointment to the top judicial post in 2012 through a decision last May 11, which became final last June 19.

In her compliance filed last month, Sereno asked the Court not to penalize her as she did not violate any rules. She claimed that the public statements she made were in response to attacks against her, including the accusations from Calida.

She argued that she could not be faulted for explaining her side to the public after her demands to be given the right to due process were repeatedly rejected by the House justice committee during the impeachment hearings.

Sereno also claimed that she was denied her right to be heard by the Senate sitting as an impeachment court and her right to be heard by an objective and impartial tribunal when the six justices she accused of bias still participated in the proceedings against her, referring to Associate Justices Teresita Leonardo-de Castro, Diosdado Peralta, Lucas Bersamin, Francis Jardeleza, Noel Tijam and Samuel Martires.

The former chief justice argued that she “cannot reasonably be expected to keep her silence despite vigorous assaults on her integrity” and that her public statements were made as “party-litigant” and not as counsel or judge.

Her camp has deferred commenting on the latest SC ruling, opting to first wait for an official copy of the decision.