(Eagle News)– Ousted Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno took to online media to “introduce (herself)” to the public days after her appointment as chief magistrate was nullified.
In YouTube posts titled “Ang Patotoo ni CJ Maria Lourdes Sereno” Part 1 and Part 2 on Sunday, May 13, Sereno, clad in a white blazer and seated against the backdrop of paintings and what appeared to be pictures of her family, talked about herself and “what the Lord has done in my life and the judiciary.”
The videos were posted by one Cesar Evangelista Buendia.
“Alam naman natin na bilang pinuno ng hudikatura, marami pong iniatas, hindi lamang ang batas kundi ang Panginoong Diyos na aking dapat gampanin..at ngayon nga po matapos ang limang taon na panunungkulan ay minabuti ko pong humarap sa inyo upang sabihin na napakabuti ng Panginoon,” Sereno began.
The video then went on to show pictures of Sereno as a child and growing up, with Sereno later making a narration of her life story.
“Criticism from others will always come so why should we say that we should be spared from the common condition of man. But when, even though you are intimately following the law of Lord Jesus Christ, you undergo trials then you must be assured that it is only for your good and that the Lord is still going to bring out a beautiful result from all of these,” Sereno said.
“Kung tayo po ay tatangan lamang kay Hesukristo, hindi tayo mawawalay ng landas. He will keep our minds in the Lord Jesus Christ,” she added.
The Supreme Court granted the quo warranto petition filed by Solicitor General Jose Calida against her and nullified her appointment as Chief Justice with a vote of 8-6.
Sereno’s spokesperson, Josa Deinla, has said the former chief justice was “seriously considering” filing a motion for reconsideration of the decision, which also ordered Sereno to show-cause why she should not be sanctioned for her alleged violation of the sub judice rule.
Since she went on leave on March 1 supposedly to prepare her defense, she has been making the rounds in the academe to talk about her situation.
Sereno is also facing an impeachment complaint in Congress, but Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez has said he would move for a halt in the proceedings to avoid a “constitutional crisis.”
He said the “crisis” could stem from the conflicting views between the SC, which sees the chief magistrate post as vacant following the High Court’s decision, and the Senate, which would assume the SC post was still filled if the impeachment trial against Sereno pushes through.