SC staff, security not allowed to travel on business class —court execs

The staff and security personnel of the Supreme Court are not entitled to fly on business class, court officials admitted before lawmakers looking into the impeachment complaint against Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno on Wednesday.

The admission came as the House Committee on Justice deliberated on the allegation that Sereno used public funds in flying on business class with her staff and security.

At the resumption of the hearing, Leyte Representative Vicente "Ching" Veloso quizzed court officials on the said allegation by complainant Lorenzo "Larry" Gadon.

Veloso said that while Sereno, in her verified answer, cited a rule that "expressedly allowed" her to travel on full business class, she did not dispute that her security and staff were with her in that section.

"Totoo ba na 'yung staff and security will fly on business class while the other justices would fly on economy?" Veloso asked court officials.

Lawyer Corazon Ferrer-Flores, chief of the Supreme Court Fiscal Management and Budget Office, said as far as they know, only the Supreme Court justices are allowed to travel on business class.

"As far our finance remembers, talagang puro economy kasi otherwise their attention would have been called," she said.

Lawyer Ma. Carina Cunanan, procurement head and assistant chief of the administrative services of the Supreme Court, concurred with Ferrer-Flores' testimony.

Lawyer Thelma Bahia, also chief of the Supreme Court Fiscal Management and Budget Office, said that the staff are not entitled to the business class.

"There are officials entitled sa business class pero with regard to the staff, I don't think they are entitled to have business class," she said.

"Mache-check naman 'yun when they claim for reimbursement. Malalaman 'yun kung business class or economy class," she added.

Their statements, Veloso said, are tantamount to admissions that court staff and security are not allowed to travel on business class.

"Strangely, there is nothing in her (Sereno's) verified answer disputing the allegation of Gadon. Wala akong nabasa na sinasabi niya na siya lang ang sumasakay ng business class, [na] security and staff niya, hindi sumasakay ng business class," he said.

The House justice panel will continue its deliberations on the impeachment complaint against Sereno on Tuesday next week. —KBK, GMA News