Photo By Edwin Muli
AFTER a year in “dignified silence,” Supreme Court (SC) Chief Justice Ma. Lourdes Sereno finally faced the media in a per invitation only press conference where all media outfits were invited except The Manila Times.
It will be recalled that the Times first broke the story on Sereno’s “failed” psychiatric test, the falsification of a Court en banc resolution and non-declaration of her earnings in the Philippine International Air Terminals Co., Inc. (Piatco) case in her statement of assets liabilities and net worth (SALN).
All television and radio networks and print media outfits were invited to attend her press conference at the De La Salle University on Wednesday.
When she was asked by Ina Reformina of ABS-CBN about the attacks against her or “misconceptions about her personality,” Sereno simply shrugged the issues off, stressing there is nothing to correct about her.
“Maraming hula hula tungkol sa akin. Di po kasi.. yung the real story revealed. Hindi ko po nakikita ngayon ang usefullness ng ganito. Kasi alam ko for 18 years mangyayari yan eh,” the Chief Magistrate said.
Sereno dismissed as mere distractions the criticisms that were hurled at her.
“My reputation . . . vindication will not come from me. But it will come from another in time. Nakakadistract ‘yun.
You are trying to save yourself,” she added.
When asked about the pork barrel issue, she refused to answer it saying the case might reach the High Court.
”Because we’re not discussing politics, because we are not going to be discussing socially-controversial issues, this is compatible with dignified silence . . . to respond on your question on PDAF,” Sereno said.
She added that she maintains good relationship with the Associate Justices.
Sereno marked her first year as Chief Magistrate on August 24, the exact day last year when the Times exposed the results of a psychiatric test where she got low grades.
Among the Senior Justices who pushed for the disclosure of the psychiatric test were
Justices Brion, Teresita Leonardo-De Castro and Antonio Carpio.
There were attempts by many media entities to know from Sereno what her plans are for the next 18 years, but to no avail.
Jomar Canlas Senior