By Jeffrey Damicog
Solicitor General Jose Calida has been asked to resign for refusing to initiate a quo warranto case against Supreme Court (SC) Justice Teresita Leonardo-De Castro for failing to submit her Statements of Assets, Liabilities and Net Worth (SALN).
Solicitor General Jose Calida (Jansen Romero / MANILA BULLETIN)
The Coalition for Justice (CFJ) made the call as it reminded that Calida filed a quo warranto case against SC Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno for her failure to file her SALNs.
“What we see here at work is a blatant double standard,” the CFJ pointed out in a statement.
“Operating here is a policy of injustice where friends are protected and foes are prosecuted; where lies are spun to defend or attack; where the selective application of law is key,” it lamented.
The group reacted to the decision of Calida to turn down the request of private citizen Jocelyn Marie Acosta to file a quo warranto case against De Castro before the SC.
Calida filed a quo warranto petition before the SC which sought to void the 2012 appointment of Sereno as chief justice for failing to comply with one of the requirements set by the Judicial and Bar Council (JBC) which was her nonsubmission of her Statements of Assets, Liabilities and Net Worth (SALN).
Acosta reminded Calida that De Castro, who also vied for the post of chief justice in 2012, also failed to submit her SALNs when she applied for the post.
“The issue here is integrity. If CJ Sereno'’s probity is being impugned because of a few missing SALNs which she has proven that she filed, then the same strict standard should be applied to De Castro,” the CFJ pointed out.
“If Calida cannot accept the fact of Sereno’s substantial compliance, then neither should he accept De Castro’s. It does not matter that she was not appointed CJ. After all, Calida claims that integrity is a continuing requirement, and when it is proven that a Justice has no integrity, she can be removed at any time,” it added.