MANILA — Malacañang on Wednesday urged the Integrated Bar of the Philippines (IBP) to respect the Supreme Court’s decision to oust Maria Lourdes Sereno as Chief Justice.
“Respetuhin talaga natin ang desisyon ng Korte Suprema (Let us respect the decision of the Supreme Court), Presidential spokesperson Harry Roque said in a radio interview.
Roque made this call after the IBP earlier this week filed a motion for reconsideration before the Supreme Court to reverse the ruling even if it is not a party to the case.
The High Court did not grant its earlier petition for intervention on the quo warranto case.
Roque said that the IBP had the chance to file a motion for reconsideration but noted that it has “no standing.”
“Sa tingin ko po kung ang desisyon ay hindi mababago, dapat ang mga abogado bilang officers of the court, tayo po iyong unang-una na mag-eengganyo sa ating taumbayan na respetuhin at huwag kuwestiyunin ang mga desisyon ng ating Kataas-taasang Hukuman (I think that the decision will not change, I think lawyers, as officers of the court, should be the first to encourage our citizens to respect and not question the decision of the Higher Court),” Roque said.
“‘Yan naman po ang katotohanan ‘no — walo sa labing-apat na kasama ni CJ ay nagsabi na hindi siya dapat magpatuloy sa kaniyang katungkulan (That’s the truth, eight out of the 14 peers of CJ say that she should not continue her duties),” he added.
On May 11, voting 8-6, the Supreme Court granted the quo warranto petition filed by the Office of the Solicitor General seeking to nullify Sereno’s appointment as chief justice.
Sereno is the first chief justice to be removed from office through a quo warranto proceeding. (Azer Parrocha/PNA)
