Some members of the Philippine Association of Court Employees (PACE), a nationwide organization of employees, questioned their leadership in joining the call for the resignation of Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno.
PACE is among the organizations whose leaders joined the flag raising ceremony聽on Monday聽at the Supreme Court where the Sereno-resign call was made. Aside from PACE, joining the call for Sereno to resign include Philippine Judges Association (PJA), Supreme Court Employees Association (SCEA), Supreme Court Assembly of Lawyer Employees (SCALE) and the Sandiganbayan Employees Association (SEA).
鈥淲ith all due respect, we should not take sides. Pare-pareho natin po silang mga boss. Dapat po sa gitna lang tayo kasi sobra na tayong katawa-tawa,鈥� a court employee said in an open letter posted on PACE鈥檚 official Facebook page.
Another court employee asked why were they not consulted. The court employee said they should have been consulted in the upcoming PACE convention.
Its officers, in response to the sentiments of its members responded by saying 鈥減lease be informed that this is a decision of your officers who you elected to said positions. The move was also relayed to the respective president of the lower court association.
鈥淭he manifesto is a plea for peace within the judiciary [which is now] being put [in] a bad light due to the brewing issues. Despite the current situation the judiciary is in, your officers are relentless in working for the 鈥榰pliftment鈥� of each and everyone鈥檚 working conditions. There is no politics here. No sides taken except the side of the Judiciary as a whole.鈥�
PACE is a national organization of court employees with over 25,000 members
Earlier, retired Chief Justice Hilario Davide Jr. issued a statement saying that Sereno should be given a chance to defend herself.
The Negros Occidental Regional Trial Court Judges Association. (NORTCJA) also refused to join the call for Sereno鈥檚 resignation.
The group said they do not wish to be part of the issues besetting the Supreme Court because their priority was to keep the courts open and serve the people./ac
搁贰础顿:听Negros Occidental RTC judges refuse to join call for Sereno to resign
搁贰础顿:听SC turmoil alarming 鈥� Davide