With Sereno’s refusal to quit, Palace says let constitutional process proceed

November 7, 2017

Let the constitutional process of impeaching Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno proceed after her refusal to quit despite Malacanang's call, an official said on Tuesday.

In a press briefing, Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said he only made a call to Sereno to resign in order to spare the judiciary from further damage.

But since Sereno did not heed the call, "that's her answer and we let it be from now on," said Roque.

"The suggestion was made to resign so that the constitutional process of impeachment will not have to continue. But since she refused, we will now let the constitutional process of continue to proceed," he said.

Roque said removing Sereno from her post is the call of the House of Representatives.

If the House would impeach her, Sereno will undergo impeachment trial before the Senate.

Roque said there is no need to file separate impeachment complaints against Sereno as well as Ombudsman Conchita  Carpio Morales as what President Rodrigo Duterte earlier vowed to do.

"Well, he doesn't really have to file an impeachment complaints against either because I think other individuals have done it for him," he said.

He added that in the case particularly of Sereno, "there can only be one impeachment complaint per year."

"So we know that the impeachment against the Chief Justice is now being deliberated upon by the Committee on Justice. I expect the committee to resume its hearings on the existence of probable cause after they come back from their recess this 20th of November," he said.

"So henceforth, our position will be, let the process continue. Let the House take care of the impeachment complaint and after that, we'll see if it could reach the Senate," Roque added. Celerina Monte/DMS