Good Morning Judge: Quo Warranto vs SC Justices

AS EXPECTED, the Supreme Court has maintained its original decision to oust former Chief Justice Ma. Lourdes Sereno from her position not only as Chief Justice of the Supreme Court but altogether as Associate Justice of the same court. This completes the process of her removal from office and the unpopular decision has opened a new way of removing constitutional officers from office not by way of impeachment filed before the House of Representatives and after evidence of guilt submitted in the Senate sitting as an impeachment court. The decision is considered by lawyers and legal luminaries as precedent-setting in that this time a mere Quo Warranto proceedings filed against a constitutional officer may be sufficient to remove him/her from office. No wonder some quarters from the activists group are reportedly gathering evidence and preparing the filing of Quo Warranto proceedings against the members of the Supreme Court who voted to oust Sereno from office. This, even in the face of some opposition members of the Senate led by former Senate President Franklin Drilon and some minority members of the House asking the Supreme Court to revisit its decision. Anyway, this opens the opportunity for the President to appoint new members of the Supreme Court should Acting Chief Justice Antonio Carpio assumes the position vacated by Sereno. Incidentally, in a television interview, Acting Chief Justice Carpio was quoted to have said that he will not assume the post which according to him was illegally declared vacant by 18 of his colleagues. It will be recalled that it was also Acting Chief Justice Carpio who openly declared that the Department of Foreign Affairs should file diplomatic protests against China for infringing Philippine sovereignty over the Spratly group of islands which has been ruled by the UNCLOS as Philippine territory. To him, mere notice to the Chinese Embassy as done by Foreign Secretary Cayetano is insufficient. Naga has just celebrated its 70th Founding Anniversary last Friday June 18 and it has gone a long way into becoming a highly urbanized city. The growth of commerce and industry in the city is unprecedented in this part of the region comparable to that of Cebu City in the Visayas. The city administration led by Mayor John G. Bongat, the City Sanggunian under the leadership of Vice-Mayor Nelson Legacion, and the rest of our city officials deserve kudos for this achievement. TRIVIA: Congratulations to the newly elected officers of the Knights of Rizal who will assume office for the Rizalian Year 2017 to 2018 starting this July. The elections were held last June 16 at the Rizal Center. QUOTATION OF THE WEEK: “TRUE INDEPENDENCE AND FREEDOM CAN ONLY EXIST IN DOING WHAT IS RIGHT.” BRIGHAM YOUNG FOR OUR WORD OF LIFE: “I SAID: HERE I AM! HERE I AM! TO A NATION THAT DID NOT CALL UPON MY NAME.” ISAIAH 65:1