(EagleENews)– Chief Justice on-leave Maria Lourdes Sereno on Tuesday, April 10, reiterated her position she “consistently” filed her Statements of Assets, Liabilities and Net Worth, under heated questioning from Associate Justice Teresita de Castro during quo warranto proceedings against the top magistrate.
“I maintain I filed my SALNs,” Sereno said, citing the Doblada doctrine.
At one point, De Castro asked Sereno why she did not submit to the Judicial and Bar Council her SALNs “at the very least from 2002 to 2006,” a period of time which De Castro said was “within” the top magistrate’s “reach.”
Sereno replied: “You have made a self-serving statement…Why don’t we go to the SALN submissions (of all Chief Justice applicants) one by one according to the matrix including mine..”
Sereno then went on to say that when then-Justice Roberto Abad’s SALNs were being examined, “he was only able to submit 5,6..”
She said Justice Diosdado Peralta said at that time that Abad was busy as he was working in the Office of the Solicitor General.
“Excuse me, I’m asking you a question…,” De Castro interjected.
To which Sereno, in a raised voice, replied: “You started your premise with that (that’s why this is my answer).”
De Castro then reiterated her question, prompting an answer from Sereno: “Because we didn’t have copies of them.”
She said she was called up by the JBC on a Friday, and was told she had to submit the same on a Monday.
“I said it’s infeasible..By the time I write up (the University of the Philippines human resources department for the SALNs) the deadline has passed…Dean (Raul) Pangalangan said because of age of records, they are not with him so he will look for them..(But) the JBC made the finding that he complied (with the requirements),” Sereno said.
To which De Castro interjected: “Excuse me, we are not talking about Pangalangan.”
“That is the equal protection clause,” Sereno retorted.
“You are just being asked,” De Castro replied. Moira Encina
