Nanawagan si Chief Justice Maria Lourdes P.A. Sereno sa mga grupo, na ikinokonsidera siya para mamuno sa isang transition government sakaling magbitiw sa puwesto si Pangulong Benigno S. Aquino III, na gawing gabay ang Konstitusyon sa kanilang mga ipinaglalaban.
Sa panayam matapos ang 12th General Assembly of the ASEAN Law Association sa Makati City kamakalawa, sinabi ni Sereno: “I think the Constitution defines what the country should do in terms of turmoil. So that is what should be looked at.”
“More than anything, people should give importance to the Constitution. I think it is the one most important covenant that we are not paying attention to.”
Habang hindi tinukoy ng punong mahistrado ang partikular na probisyon sa Saligang Batas na may kinalaman sa isyu, sinabi ni Supreme Court (SC) Spokesman Atty. Theodore Te na ang tinatalakay ni Sereno ay ang Section 8 (1), Article 7 ng 1987 Constitution na hindi nabanggit ang Chief Justice sa mga posibleng pumalit sa pangulo.
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Nakasaad sa Section 8 (1), Article 7 “in case of death, permanent disability, removal from office, or resignation of the President, the Vice-President shall become the President to serve the unexpired term. In case of death, permanent disability, removal from office, or resignation of both the President and Vice-President, the President of the Senate or, in case of his inability, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, shall then act as President until the President or Vice-President shall have been elected and qualified.”
Noong Lunes, hiniling ng grupong tinaguriang “EDSA 2.22.15 Coalition” ang pagbibitiw ni Aquino upang magbigay-daan sa isang transition government na pangungunahan ni Sereno at may konseho na binubuo ng mga lider ng Simbahan.
Iginiit ni Quintin Paredes San Diego, ng Movement Against Dynasties at na kabilang sa koalisyon, wala nang kapasidad si Aquino na pamunuan ang bansa kasunod ng madugong engkuwentro sa Mamasapano, Maguindanao, na 44 na police commando ang brutal na pinaslang ng Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) at Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF). (REY G. PANALIGAN)
