The camp of Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno has said that the chief magistrate has nothing to do with the Ombudsman’s dismissal order against Cebu Rep. Gwendolyn Garcia.
Jojo Lacanilao, Sereno’s laywer and spokesperson, rejected Garcia’s remark that her dismissal was connected to her “active” participation in the impeachment proceeding against the Chief Justice.
He also called Garcia’s claim as “bereft of truth and wisdom.”
“To set the record straight, the Chief Justice has nothing to do with the Ombudsman’s decision,” he said. “It is unfortunate that Rep. Garcia is using the ongoing impeachment hearing as an excuse, albeit shallow, for her dismissal from government service and perpetual disqualification from public office rather than check the laws of the land on graft and corruption,” he added.
Garcia, the House deputy speaker, is part of the House justice committee which had been conducting hearing sessions to determine if there is probable cause in the impeachment complaint of lawyer Lorenzo Gadon against the Chief Justice.
On Monday, the Ombudsman on ordered Garcia’s dismissal from government service for grave d misconduct in connection with the purchase of a property worth P98.9 million for Cebu’s human settlement and seaport project in 2008.
Ombudsman Conchita Carpio-Morales said Garcia, when she was Cebu governor, had no authority from the Sangguniang Panlalawigan when she entered into an agreement with a construction firm for a human settlement and seaport project.
Garcia, however, questioned the timing of the case, saying that the Ombudsman is singling her out on an act that was done when she was still governor.
“You’d rather wonder whether this was purposely done precisely because as you saw, I am very active in this impeachment hearing against Chief Justice [Maria Lourdes] Sereno,” she said.