8. Excessive use of fundsGADON: Sereno had excessively used court funds in her purchase of a P5-million Toyota Land Cruiser, the booking of a presidential villa in Boracay for P200,000 a night, her business class travels, and her inclusion of a “huge entourage of lawyers†in official trips.
SERENO: Every expense is within bounds.
On the land cruiser, Sereno cited a budget circular that expressly allows the Chief Justice to buy a luxury vehicle for security purposes.
On the presidential villa, Sereno said the SC approved the budget to book the villa for the all-day use of the ASEAN chief justices who had come to Boracay for the 3rd meeting of ASEAN chief justices.
Sereno, her staff, and part of the event secretariat then used the villa overnight at no additional cost. Booking separate rooms for the purpose of sleeping in them would have cost the SC more, said Sereno.
Sereno said that the SC Human Resource Manual “expressly allowed the Chief Justice to travel on full business class.†The reason why other justices don’t is because the same manual prohibits them from doing so.
Sereno said the lawyers who join her on office trips were necessary for her to do her job. “There is no rule (and the Complainant has cited none) which prohibits the Chief Justice from bringing her staff on foreign trips.â€
Sereno said that in 16 of her foreign trips, she traveled alone on 4 occasions, brought one lawyer on 9 trips, two lawyers on two trips, and 3 lawyers on one trip.
Gadon’s complaint has been declared sufficient in form and substance by the House committee on justice voting 30-4. The next step is to put it through another round of votes to decide if there is probable cause.
Hearings would then be conducted after which a third of the House of 97 members should vote to transmit the complaint to the Senate which will sit as an impeachment court.
Sereno’s lawyers are moving to be allowed to cross-examine Gadon and witnesses during the House hearings. –
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