Sereno pushes for independent judiciary, free from political coercion

MANILA, Philippines — "I wish the political branches would really stay away from the judiciary."

An embattled Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno on Friday expressed hope that politicians would keep their hands off the judiciary and that "they will not hang on to the coercive powers that are with them in order to give free reign to the judicial independence to decide freely without inordinate pressure."

"It is for everyone's interest to push for an independent judiciary, and they will appreciate that this chief justice, with all due respect to some, who say otherwise, has done her best to fight fiercely for independence," she added.

Sereno is currently facing two ouster petitions: an impeachment case filed by Larry Gadon, a lawyer known to have close ties with President Rodrigo Duterte, and a petition for the nullification of her appointment as chief justice filed by Solicitor General Jose Calida.

In 2016, the chief justice came in loggerheads with Duterte, when the president identified judges allegedly involved in the illegal drug trade.

She wrote a letter to Duterte, asking him to let the administrative supervision of the judiciary over lower courts to run. She said that she will order an investigation on the said judges.

The letter was one of the grounds cited by Gadon in his impeachment complaint. He said that Sereno betrayed the public trust when she sent the "strongly-worded but misplaced reply" to Duterte.

Sereno has repeatedly said that she will not yield to pressure asking her to resign.

The chief justice has been on an indefinite leave since March 1. She said that she is preparing for the impeachment case against her to reach the Senate, which will act as an impeachment court.