By REY PANALIGAN
Chief Justice Maria Lourdes P. A. Sereno, who is facing impeachment complaints before the House of Representatives, will take an indefinite leave of absence starting tomorrow.
With Sereno’s leave, Senior Justice Antonio T. Carpio will automatically be the acting chief justice.
Sereno’s indefinite leave was confirmed by several justices who attended the Supreme Court’s (SC) full court session yesterday that was later on converted into an executive session.
There was no official announcement on Sereno’s indefinite leave as of press time yesterday.
One of Sereno’s spokespersons, lawyer Josa Deinla, said the Chief Justice will merely advance her wellness leave, not an indefinite leave.
“Not indefinite. Duration is March 1 to 15 (of the wellness leave). It has already been scheduled from March 15 to 23 but she is advancing it so she can prepare for her defense at the Senate,” Deinla said in a text message to journalists covering the SC.
Four justices who requested anonymity said that several magistrates confronted Sereno on the impeachment complaints against her.
They said that Sereno was asked to resign. “One of the justices even dared Sereno to submit their resignation letters together,” they said.
The four magistrates said that Sereno did not heed the challenge to resign as she asked her fellow justices to allow the Senate to finish the impeachment trial, which, based on proceedings before the House of Representatives, is inevitable.
They said most of the justices rejected Sereno’s request and asked that the full court session be converted into an executive session in the absence of the chief justice.
They added that after Sereno’s meeting with the two most senior justices – Carpio and Presbitero J. Velasco Jr. – the chief justice announced that she will take an indefinite leave of absence.
Last Monday, an open letter from “concerned officials and employees of the SC” circulated which called for Sereno to resign her post for loss of trust, faith, and confidence.
“We can and will no longer remain silent as the institution falls deeper into disrepute with each passing day and our officers and personnel pitted against one another, as a consequence of your honor’s actions and indiscretions,” read the letter.
