A Statement from Coalition Against Summary Execution (CASE) forwarded by the Asian Human Rights Commission
We, at Coalition Against Summary Execution (CASE)*, condemn in the strongest terms the Supreme Court’s decision granting the Solicitor General’s petition for Quo Warranto against Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno.
It is abhorring to see the Supreme Court majority surrender its independence to the political pressure of a co-equal branch of government. The decision granting the Quo Warranto petition does not affect the Chief Justice alone but primarily impacts upon the entire nation eroding not only judicial independence but also the rule of law. It has crippled all the democratic institutions thereby damaging the system of checks and balances within the government. CASE joins all other freedom loving Filipinos in expressing its dissent to the said decision.
The Quo Warranto proceeding could never be a substitute for impeachment as our Constitution is very clear that the Chief Justice could only be removed by impeachment. In allowing the Quo Warranto, it pre-empted her impeachment trial before the Senate, usurped the power of Congress to remove an impeachable official, and denied the Chief Justice the opportunity to defend herself in a public trial.
With the said decision, the same could now be used to go after other impeachable officials who, in the eyes of the Chief Executive, do not support his administration.
CASE rejects this decision of the Supreme Court and calls for its reconsideration by following the dictates of conscience and the rule of law.
– Davao City, Philippines. 12th of May 2018
*Coalition Against Summary Execution (CASE) is a human rights group based in Davao City that documents cases of summary execution and extrajudicial killings, including those of children in street situations. It is a member of Network Against Killings in the Philippines (NAKPHIL).
Network Against Killings in the Philippines (NAKPhilippines)
Email: networkagainstkillings@gmail.com
Facebook: nakphilippines
Twitter: @nakphilippines
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The views shared in this statement do not necessarily reflect that of the AHRC.
