MALACAÑANG called Monday on Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno to quit her post to spare the Supreme Court from "further damage."
"I call upon Chief Justice Sereno to really consider resigning if only to spare the institution from any further damage," said Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque in a press conference.
Roque's statement came after Sereno said that "the world has been seeing in many regions a resurgence of political forces threatening and harassing the independence of the judiciary."
Sereno issued the remark before the 8th International Conference on the Training of Judiciary held earlier in the day.
Her statement came following the threat of President Rodrigo Duterte on October 4 that he was mulling to file an impeachment complaint against Sereno for enjoying a "lavish lifestyle."
Sereno is facing impeachment case before the House of Representatives for allegedly being involved in corruption when she used public funds "to finance her extravagant and lavish lifestyle."
Petitioner Larry Gadon, who filed the impeachment complaint against Sereno, accused the top magistrate of purchasing a brand-new 2017 Toyota Land Cruiser worth P5.1 million using public funds.
Responding to Sereno's latest statement, Roque said the executive department does not intend to undermine the judiciary's independence.
"I do not know what Malacañang has done or this executive has done to undermine the independence of the judiciary," he said.
Roque said Sereno should rather blame herself because the impeachment case lodged against her has an effect to the high court’s performance.
Roque, a former Kabayan party-list representative who had access to documents submitted to the House of Representatives, said he was “very bothered” when he saw the “substantial and convincing” evidence against the Chief Justice.
“She has only to blame herself, if she feels that the impeachment proceeding has affected the independence of the judiciary,” the presidential spokesman said.
“I have seen the evidence because I was a member of the House committee on justice. I read the complaint. I read the answer. I read all the reply and I’m very bothered by the allegations, which to my mind, are supported not just by substantial evidence but very convincing evidence,” he added. (SunStar Philippines)