Gadon endorses quo warranto approach to unseat Chief Justice
By AJ Siytangco
Published Mar 27, 2018 03:58 pm
By Ben Rosario
Impeachment complainant Larry Gadon has endorsed the bid to remove Supreme Court Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno through the quo warranto proceedings now pending before the High Court.
In a press statement, Gadon said that Bayan Muna Rep. Carlos Zarate is “so wrong” when he stated that the SC has no jurisdiction over any move to unseat an impeachable official.
Atty. Larry Gadon
(ALVIN KASIBAN / MANILA BULLETIN) Himself a lawyer,Gadon said a quo warranto case can be used to remove Sereno from her current position because such issue questions the chief justice’s qualification to become an SC chief justice. “The Supreme Court can proceed to hear and decide the QW case and has the power to declare the appointment of Sereno as CJ as being void ab initio for failure to submit minimum compliance of ten years SALN,” explained Gadon as he aired his support to the quo warranto case filed by anti-crime advocates. He added: “ Impeachment pertains to unlawful acts committed after assumption of office .” According to Gadon the quo warranto case was filed because its petitioners believed that Sereno failed to qualify for the position in which she was appointed to. “The issue in QW is that Sereno fails to qualify to be appointed . She was appointed through means of fraud and deceit . Hence QW is an independent action that may proceed on its own,” stressed Gadon, who is the lone complainant in the impeachment case filed against Sereno. The House justice committee has endorsed the filing of the articles of impeachment against Sereno before the Senate impeachment court. However, voting on the committee report and articles of impeachment is not expected to be conducted until the Congress resumes session by May. Under the Constitution, a mere one third vote of all House members is required for the impeachment bid to proceed to the Senate. Gadon said Sereno’s removal either by the process of quo warranto or impeachment is a clear indication that she will be removed before soon. “The claims of Makabayan , Zarate and Reyes groups that the QW destroys the independence of the the judiciary is so wrong,” saidGadon. He claimed that the judicial bar council “committed the greatest blunder”when it endorsed Sereno despite her alleged failure to comply with the requirements to becoming a chief justice. “The Supreme Court will even prove its independence by correcting itself and this Sereno QW is the best chance and opportunity to prove it,” Gadon pointed out.
Atty. Larry Gadon (ALVIN KASIBAN / MANILA BULLETIN) Himself a lawyer,Gadon said a quo warranto case can be used to remove Sereno from her current position because such issue questions the chief justice’s qualification to become an SC chief justice. “The Supreme Court can proceed to hear and decide the QW case and has the power to declare the appointment of Sereno as CJ as being void ab initio for failure to submit minimum compliance of ten years SALN,” explained Gadon as he aired his support to the quo warranto case filed by anti-crime advocates. He added: “ Impeachment pertains to unlawful acts committed after assumption of office .” According to Gadon the quo warranto case was filed because its petitioners believed that Sereno failed to qualify for the position in which she was appointed to. “The issue in QW is that Sereno fails to qualify to be appointed . She was appointed through means of fraud and deceit . Hence QW is an independent action that may proceed on its own,” stressed Gadon, who is the lone complainant in the impeachment case filed against Sereno. The House justice committee has endorsed the filing of the articles of impeachment against Sereno before the Senate impeachment court. However, voting on the committee report and articles of impeachment is not expected to be conducted until the Congress resumes session by May. Under the Constitution, a mere one third vote of all House members is required for the impeachment bid to proceed to the Senate. Gadon said Sereno’s removal either by the process of quo warranto or impeachment is a clear indication that she will be removed before soon. “The claims of Makabayan , Zarate and Reyes groups that the QW destroys the independence of the the judiciary is so wrong,” saidGadon. He claimed that the judicial bar council “committed the greatest blunder”when it endorsed Sereno despite her alleged failure to comply with the requirements to becoming a chief justice. “The Supreme Court will even prove its independence by correcting itself and this Sereno QW is the best chance and opportunity to prove it,” Gadon pointed out.