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‘DAPAT SIGURO, MAG-GROUP DYNAMICS KAMI’

Friction within SC not an impeachable offense, says Sereno


Having dissatisfied peers at the Supreme Court (SC) is not an impeachable offense, Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno said Wednesday, jokingly suggesting a retreat might "exorcise" "demons" around them.

At a forum on judicial independence at the Ateneo Law School in Makati City, Sereno told law students that a group dynamics exercise might help her and her fellow justices.

"Hindi po impeachable offense magkaroon ng kaaway. Hindi po impeachable kung naiinis sila sa'yo kasi hindi ka raw mahusay makinig, hindi po impeachable 'yun. Ang dapat lang siguro mag-group dynamics kami," she said, earning laughter and applause from the crowd.

"Hihingin ko ho siguro na mag-retreat kami, kasama na po ang mga kaparian, mga obispo at mga pastor natin at mag-exorcise kung ano pa man pong kademonyohan ang nakapasok sa aming paligid," she added.

The friction between her and some of the associate justices of the high tribunal, particularly Associate Justice Teresita de Castro, was most publicly displayed during the oral arguments on the petition for quo warranto against her in Baguio City on April 10.

De Castro opened what would be an hours-long grilling of Sereno on the issue of her SALN filing, with Sereno responding with, at times, a raised voice.

However, Sereno on Wednesday claimed that despite apparent differences among the decision-makers inside the SC, resolutions keep being rolled out and "reforms" in the judiciary are underway.

She earlier expressed hope that her colleagues at the tribunal will "come around" when "the dust settles," likely referring to the issues surrounding attempts to remove her from office. — Nicole-Anne C. Lagrimas/RSJ, GMA News

 

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