The call of the Coalition for Justice (CFJ) for senators to ask the Supreme Court to stop its quo warranto proceedings against the Chief Justice did not fall on deaf ears, after all.
At least for Senate President Pro Tempore Ralph Recto, who is part of the majority bloc in the Senate though he is a member of the Liberal Party.
In a text message on Thursday, Recto threw his support behind the CFJ’s call.
“Yes I would,” he said when asked if he would support such measure.
“Normally, the Senate should not interfere with a co-equal branch of government, in this case, the Supreme Court. However, it seems clear to all the purpose of the quo warranto is to remove the Chief Justice which can only be done through impeachment,” Recto added.
Senate Minority Leader Franklin Drilon earlier said that all six minority senators, including him, shared the CFJ’s position against Sereno’s ouster via quo warranto petition.
“That is the stand of the Senate Minority. But there are only six of us. The appeal, and the challenge, should be addressed to the leadership and the Majority coalition in the Senate,” Drilon said in a text message.
The six are Senators Drilon, Bam Aquino, Francis Pangilinan, Risa Hontiveros, Antonio Trillanes IV, and Leila de Lima, who has been detained over drug charges.
Meanwhile, three senators— Majority Leader Vicente “Tito” Sotto III, Francis Escudero, and Panfilo Lacson — have either rejected or cold to the CFJ’s call. /je
READ: Escudero, Sotto reject call for Senate to act on Sereno quo warranto