Sereno defends foreign travel accommodations, purchase of P5-M service vehicle

Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno is currently facing multiple allegations against her in an impeachment complaint that was filed due to meritless accusations of Lawyer Larry Gadon who brought these accusations forward to the House of Representatives.

Serano allegedly falsified injunctive and administrative orders, bought a 5.1 million peso service vehicle, purchased accommodation worth 280,000 pesos, specifically a presidential villa in Shangri-la Boracay for the 3rd ASEAN Chief Justices meeting back in March 2015 and that she always flies in first class, all of which she shot down with her own justified reasons.

First of all, the chief justice said that she didn’t act on her own in reviving the Regional Court Administration Office (RCAO) in Region 7 and she also denied falsifying the temporary restraining order issued that’s connected to the proclamation of the five remaining winners of the party-list race in the May 2013 elections.

 Associate Justice Teresita Leonardo-de Castro and Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno

She said she only acted on the recommendation of Associate Justice Teresita Leonardo De Castro, the current magistrate in charge of the petition at that time, who took Sereno to task the RCAO resolution dated November 27, 2012.

Second, the chief justice is empowered under Supreme Court (SC) Internal Rules to issue a TRO when the Court is in recess. In which she used as a basis when she said that,

"They are just recommendations. The authority is really mine. So how can I falsify my own TRO issued under my authority?"

However, any TRO issued by the top magistrate during the Court's recess is still subject to review by the en banc or division when sessions resume.

Serano then ridiculed Gadon's revelation about her alleged questionable orders.

“Tignan mo na lang how ridiculous this is. Kami kaming labinlima lang ang nag-uusap [during an en banc session], si Gadon daw ay nasa kwarto?" Sereno said.

Third, her “security vehicle”, a P5.1-million peso Toyota Land Cruiser (2017 model) was purchased with the -approval of the SC en banc and under the Administrative Order 233, the chief justice is allowed to buy vehicles for security reasons.

She also argued that this vehicle is legitimate and that it was her first time requesting vehicle since 2010, when she was first appointed to the Supreme Court.

"Kung legal pala eh anong reklamo. It's perfectly legitimate. It followed all the rules,” she defended.

“Ang dami namang mga opisyales na hindi siguro head ng branch of the government na mas mabigat pa nga ang sasakyan," she pointed out.

Third, for the allegations that luxuriously stayed in a presidential villa in Shangri-la Boracay, she shot that down by proving that not only was it was used for official business. She also saved the public funds by staying at the presidential villa with no additional costs.

The presidential villa during the 3rd ASEAN Chief Justices Meeting in March 2015, was where the “Boracay Accord” was signed and 10 ASEAN chief justices held a photo opportunity.

Shangri-La's Boracay Resort and Spa

"Ngayon, sino tutulog dun pag gabi? Eh di ang ginawa namin, dalawang kwarto kasi yun, ako at ang staff ko natulog kami dun. Wala namang gastos sa taumbayan yun eh. Kung kumuha kami ng ibang kwarto, yun ang dagdag gastos pero dahil ginamit namin yung bayad na eh di walang gastos," Sereno said.

Sereno pointed out the fact that, it would have cost the taxpayers and additional P17,000 per night for the chief justice and another additional P30,000 per night for the two rooms for her security and staff. So in conclusion, the usage of the presidential villa was actually saving the country money compared to if she got another set of rooms. 

She also said that the resort charged P134,192.25 for the use of the presidential villa instead of the regular rate of P280,000.

And lastly, Gadon’s claims that the chief justice flies in either business class or first class with her “entourage of lawyers”, staff and security detail.

To which Serano partly admitted to the business class part specifically for she isn’t allowed to fly first class based on the SC Human Resource Manual.  So she only opts to travel on “full business class”.

"It makes sense for someone who is busy. Yung mga tipong kailangan tapusin ang speeches, yung kailangan may chine-check na ibang trabaho pa [at] binabantayan. Kailangan ko naman ng enough writing space because I write and I use my laptop during these flights, so I continuously work," Serano said.

"And then I have to rest because usually pagdating ko either I just have one night sleep before or dadating ako sa morning tapos sabak na sa meeting sa gabi o hapon," she continued.

On the entourage part, she admits having assisting lawyers that accompany her on official foreign trips. Out of the 16 trips, four of which she travelled without any lawyers and the remainder with either one or two lawyers.

"These are key people that I needed. So yung word na entourage hindi ko talaga alam kung saan niya [Gadon] nakuha iyon. Baka nag iisip-isip siya na kapag si Justice [Teresita] De Castro kasama ko, si Justice [Presbitero] Velasco kasama ko, yung ibang justices binibilang niya yun. Baka nagbibilang siya pati ang mga yun eh hindi ko naman entourage yun," Sereno said.

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Source: GMA News Online