Lozano moves for reconsideration of complaint vs Sereno

By Dane Angelo M. Enerio

LAWYER Oliver O. Lozano on Wednesday filed a motion for reconsideration after the Supreme Court (SC) on Tuesday junked his petition to have the high court void the 2012 appointment of Chief Justice Maria Lourdes P.A. Sereno.

Mr. Lozano in the new petition argued that “(i)mpeachment of Chief Justice Sereno is not a bar to nullification of her appointment,” referring to the impeachment case being prepared by the House of Representatives’ committee on justice.

“Impeachment seeks to remove her. Nullification seeks to void her appointment,” Mr. Lozano also said in his new motion, which also asked the SC to consolidate his original petition with the quo warranto petition filed Monday by the government against Ms. Sereno.

Also on Wednesday, Ms. Sereno, addressing a forum at St. Scholastica’s College in Manila, said in part, “The current state of the nation is one where perceived enemies of the dominant order are considered fair game for harassment, intimidation, and persecution. Where shortcuts are preferred over adherence to constitutional guarantees of human rights including the denial of due process. Where fake news and propaganda abound to deceive and manipulate rather than enlighten and educate.”

She urged her audience mostly of students to “not be passive spectators to what is happening” in the country.