Ousted Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno addresses her crowd of supporters after her peers in the Supreme Court voted to oust her based on the solicitor general’s quo warranto petition yesterday. (pna)
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By Christopher Lloyd Caliwan of PNA,
NITZ ARANCON, Correspondent
and CONG B. CORRALES,
Associate Editor

VOTING 8-6, the Supreme Court sitting en banc yesterday granted the quo warranto petition filed by Solicitor General Jose Calida that sought to nullify the appointment of Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno.

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This was announced by SC spokesman Theodore Te in a press briefing after the High Court’s special en banc session.

Sereno is the first Chief Justice to be removed from office through quo warranto proceedings.

“The petition for quo warranto is granted, respondent Maria Lourdes P.A. Sereno is found disqualified from and is hereby adjudged guilty of unlawfully holding and exercising the office of the Chief Justice. Accordingly, respondent Maria Lourdes P.A. Sereno is ousted and excluded therefrom,” reads part of the court decision.

Those who voted to grant the quo warranto petition against Sereno were Associate Justices Teresita Leonardo-de Castro, Diosdado Peralta, Lucas Bersamin, Francis Jardeleza, Samuel Martires, Andres Reyes Jr., Alexander Gesmundo, and Noel Tijam who penned the Court’s decision.

Meanwhile, those who dissented were Senior Associate Justice Antonio Carpio and Associate Justices Presbitero Velasco, Mariano del Castillo, Estela Perlas-Bernabe, Marvic Leonen and Alfredo Benjamin Caguioa.

The High Court also announced that the position of the Chief Justice is declared vacant and that the Judicial and Bar Council should begin the application and nomination process for Sereno’s replacement.

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