(Eagle News) — Two left-leaning groups on Friday, May 11, slammed the decision of the Supreme Court to nullify the appointment of Maria Lourdes Sereno as Chief Justice.
In a statement, the National Union of People’s Lawyers described as “deplorable, contemptuous and a contortion of the Constitution” the decision favoring the quo warranto petition filed by Solicitor General Jose Calida against her, with a vote of 8-6.
“It is abhorring to see the Supreme Court majority surrender its independence to the political pressure of a co-equal branch of government,” NUPL president Edre Olalia said.
According to Olalia, with the decision, the “democratic institutions that supposedly ensure checks and balances within the government“ have been “practically crippled.”
“Instead of a chance at principled redemption, the majority has generously given its brethren, their peers, the entire legal profession and the public at large reason to deny respect and dismiss any belief in the system,” he said, referring to the eight who voted in favor of the petition–Associate Justices Teresita de Castro, Diosdado Peralta, Lucas Bersamin, Samuel Martires, Noel Tijam, Andres Reyes Jr., Alexander Gesmundo and Francis Jardeleza.
Sereno had sought for the inhibition of De Castro, Peralta, Bersamin, Martires, Tijam and Jardeleza, citing what she said were their “bias” and “animosity” toward her.
“The decision is dishonorable. Where art thou the other paragons of fairness and symbols of justice? Is law being majestic an obvious fiction? Do we all have to go back to law school and relearn or unlearn what we studied? Is there honor of being in the same level and constitution as the charlatans and clowns who mock and distort basic rules of reason by dressing up partisanship with pretentious erudition?” Olalia said.
For Bagong Alyansang Makabayan secretary general Renato Reyes, the decision of the SC only means that all three branches of government have “exposed the rottenness of the current ruling system,” thereby “failing the people.”
He accused the executive of being behind moves to remove Sereno, the legislative branch of besmirching her reputation, and the judiciary of being a “willing tool in undermining judicial independence.”
“There will be a time for accountability,” Reyes said.
“Right now, the people are justified in their indignation. The people are right to protest the rising tyranny of the Duterte regime,” he added.