Press Release
March 6, 2018

Hontiveros: Quo warranto petition, an assault against Senate

Akbayan Senator Risa Hontiveros on Tuesday warned that the petition for quo warranto filed with the Supreme Court by Solicitor General Jose Calida against Supreme Court Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno is an assault against the Senate's integrity and democratic processes.

Hontiveros said that this could set a dangerous precedent where the Senate is relegated to the political sidelines.

"It is part of a greater scheme to render the Senate obsolete and irrelevant, when it is one of the few institutions left where the government's abuses can still be checked," Hontiveros said.

"Just imagine. If the Executive can impeach a Supreme Court Chief Justice without the Senate, it can also change the constitution without it. It is no secret that this government is adamant in changing the constitution even without the participation of the Senate," Hontiveros said.

Hontiveros also observed that the petition from the Executive seems to question the capacity of the Senate to conduct fair and impartial impeachment proceedings.

"Wala bang tiwala ang Ehekutibo na kayang magsagawa ng Senado ng maayos na impeachment proceedings? O baka naman tingin nila ay hindi aayon ang resulta ng impeachment proceedings sa gusto nila? I think the Executive is embarking on a desperate and unconstitutional political reroute," Hontiveros stressed.

Hontiveros asserted that the impeachment process is the correct way to exact accountability from erring impeachable officials.

"The constitution is clear. The best way to hold accountable and remove impeachable high-ranking government officials is through the process of impeachment where the Senate is convened as an impeachment court," Hontiveros ended.

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