Majority Bloc Senators Blame Pangilinan Over Failed Resolution Questioning Sereno Ouster

Some members of the Senate majority bloc blamed Senator Francis “Kiko” Pangilinan for the failure of their resolution questioning the Supreme Court’s (SC) ousting of Maria Lourdes Sereno as chief justice. This is after the Liberal Party (LP) senator was not able to defend the resolution against Senator Panfilo “Ping” Lacson last Thursday, May 31.

Loading...

Pangilinan, who is also the LP president and a lawyer, presented Senate Resolution No. 738 signed by 14 senators, urging the Supreme Court to review its decision to oust Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno through a quo warranto petition. However, Sen. Lacson was quick enough to question the resolution and Pangilinan was left speechless.

“While it is true that the final arbiter of the constitution [is the Supreme Court], as legislators, we are also called upon to interpret the constitution…Right now, there’s a motion for reconsideration before the Supreme Court. Right now, there’s still a chance that they may correct,” Pangilinan argued, but Lacson immediately grilled him.

“So that’s the intent of the resolution? To influence the Supreme Court? To reverse its decision… Is it not encroaching on the powers of the SC that has acquired orig jurisdiction over petitions of quo warranto?"Lacson told Pangilanan, adding that it is only the SC that can interpret the constitution, and that the Senate has no provision about it.

Sen. Lacson even promised to sign the resolution if Pangilinan can show him a provision that says Congress could interpret the Constitution. And because there’s really nothing to show, the LP president went back to his seat and kept quiet. Senators Franklin Drilon and Risa Hontiveros tried to debate with Lacson but they also lost.

Meanwhile, the 10 other senators who signed the resolution are then-Senate President Aquilino Pimentel III, Senate President Pro Tempore Ralph G. Recto, and Senators Loren Legarda, Francis Escudero, Antonio Trillanes IV, Juan Edgardo Angara, Paolo Benigno “Bam” Aquino IV, Grace Poe, Sherwin Gatchalian, and Joel Villanueva.



And although none of them have publicly ciritcized Sen. Pangilinan, Politiko sources said that some of them are now changing their minds on the issue and may withdrew their signatures evren before the next interpellation. The source added that these senators are also lawyers who have better understanding on the law than Pangilinan.

Contributed by Orlando Gagui