By REY G. PANALIGAN
Will Chief Justice Maria Lourdes P. A. Sereno be disqualified and ousted as head of the Judiciary by her peers in the Supreme Court or will she face impeachment trial before the Senate?
This will be known today as the SC justices meet in a full court session to deliberate and rule on the disqualification and ouster or quo warranto case filed against Sereno by Solicitor General Jose C. Calida in behalf of the government.
Rallyists for and against the quo warranto case are expected to gather on Padre Faura St., Ermita, Manila. They are expected to don red-colored clothes for the granting of the quo warranto petition and purple-colored garments for the dismissal of the case.
Yesterday, red ribbons were tied at the SC gates by members of the SC Employees Association to dramatize their demand for the ouster of Sereno. Last Monday, SCEA members and judges affiliated with the Philippine Judges Association reiterated their call for Sereno to resign “to save the SC as an institution.”
But Sereno shrugged off their call and maintained that resignation is only for the coward.
There were speculations that the SC would grant Calida’s petition to disqualify and oust Sereno. A week ago, speculations stated that the voting would be nine justices in favor of the petition, three dissents, and two no part in the deliberations.
As of yesterday, the speculations stated that the voting would be 10 justices for the petition with four justices dissenting.
Sereno terminated her indefinite leave last Wednesday and reported back to work. Her spokesperson said Sereno would preside over the full court session today but would inhibit herself once the deliberation on her case starts.
