SA botong 8-6, tinanggal ng mga justices si Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno sa kanyang puwesto matapos namang katigan ang inihaing quo warranto petition ni Solicitor General Jose Calida.
“Wherefore, the Petition for Quo Warranto is granted. Respondent Maria Lourdes P. A. Sereno is disqualified from and is hereby adjudged guilty of unlawfully holding and exercising the office of the Chief Justice,” sabi ng bahagi ng desisyon ng Korte Suprema.
Idineklara rin ng Kataastaasang Hukuman na bakante ang posisyon na Chief Justice.
“Accordingly, respondent Maria Lourdes P.A. Sereno is ousted and excluded therefrom…The position of the Chief Justice is declared vacant and the Judicial and Bar Council (JBC) is directed to commence the application and nomination process,” ayon pa sa SC.
Kahapon, nagsagawa ang mga justice ng SC ng special en banc session, na sa inisyal ay pinangunahan ni Sereno, bagamat nag-inhibiti na ito nang buksan ang deliberasyon ng quo warranto petition.
Sa kanyang petisyon, sinabi ni Calida na iligal ang pag-upo ni Sereno bilang Chief Justice matapos mabigong magsumite ng kumpletong statement of assets, liabilities, and networth (SALN).
Kabilang sa walong bumoto sa
quo warranto ay sina Associate Justices Teresita Leonardo De Castro, Diosdado Peralta, Lucas Bersamin, Samuel Martires, Francis Jardeleza, Andres Reyes Jr. Alexander Gesmundo, at Noel Tijam, na siyang nagponente sa desisyon.
Bumoto naman laban sa petisyon sina
Senior Associate Justice Antonio Carpio, at Associate Justices Presbitero Velasco Jr., Marvic Leonen, Estela Perlas-Bernabe, Mariano Del Castillo, at Alfredo Benjamin Caguioa.
“The decision was immediately executory without the need for further action from the Court,” sabi ni SC spokesman Atty. Theodore Te.
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