MANILA, Philippines — Supreme Court Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno should take her "wellness leave" as an opportunity to "reflect" on her legacy at the Supreme Court, a Palace official said Tuesday.
Lawyer Jojo Lacanilao, one of Sereno's spokespersons, earlier confirmed that the chief justice will go on leave from March 1 to 15 in preparation for when the impeachment proceeding against her reaches the Senate.
READ: Sereno to go on leave starting March 1
"As the Chief Justice takes her wellness leave, we hope she would take this as an opportunity to reflect on her time and legacy at the Supreme Court and to consider what would be best for the institution which she heads as top magistrate," presidential spokesperson Harry Roque said in a statement.
Roque also expressed confidence that the day-to-day operations of the Supreme Court will will continue unhampered while Sereno is on leave.
According to Sereno's camp, it was her "personal decision" to file a "wellness leave."
Lorenzo Gadon, complainant in the impeachment case against Sereno, earlier threatened to file more cases and called for her resignation.
Sereno, however, had rejected calls for her resignation and described the threat of Gadon as acts of desperation.
“She is looking forward to defending herself in the Senate when it convenes as an impeachment court and where, hopefully, her basic and constitutional rights will be recognized and respected,” lawyer Jose Deinla, one of Sereno's spokespersons, said. — Patricia Lourdes Viray