© Provided by GMA News Online Eligio Mallari
The camp of suspended lawyer Eligio Mallari on Wednesday claimed that there was nothing "coordinated" in their efforts to unseat Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno, saying these are "pure coincidence."
At a press conference on Wednesday, lawyer Manuelito Luna, counsel for Mallari, said the latter's move to ask Solicitor General Jose Calida to initiate quo warranto proceedings to try Sereno's claim to her position was his own personal action.
"Sa amin, I think, it's just pure coincidence. Hindi po namin tina-time ito. In fact, parehas kami ni Atty. Mallari, we have other things to attend to, marami kaming kaso na ina-attend," Luna said.
"Nagkataon lang siguro na lumalabas ang lahat ng ito, seemingly parang timed. Pero this was never timed, these are pure coincidences. Walang nagtitimon sa amin," he added.
In a separate press conference on Wednesday, Sereno's spokespersons slammed the supposed "coordinated efforts" to bring down the high magistrate from her position amid the ongoing impeachment proceedings against her.
Lawyer Josa Deinla, one of Sereno's spokespersons, particularly mentioned the quo warranto proceedings Mallari was asking.
"As we said in a statement that we earlier issued, this has absolutely no basis in law and in the Constitution. The only way by which the Supreme Court chief justice may be removed from office is through impeachment," she said.
"Sa aming palagay, dahil ito ay walang batayan, hindi rin ito magme-merit. Wala ring makikitang resulta diyan sila Mallari," she added.
Luna maintained, however, that Mallari was only acting in his own private capacity as a citizen.
"Hindi po siya nagrerepresent ng kaniyang grupo, yung Vanguard of the Philippine Constitution Inc., neither of the VACC (Volunteers Against Crime and Corruption). He is doing this on his own, not because of any personal or professional admission," he said.
"He is doing this all in greater national interest, wala na pong ibang motibo dito," he added
Mallari was earlier suspended by the Supreme Court from practicing law after being found guilty of delaying tactics in the Government Services and Insurance System's forfeiture case over his two parcels of land with unsettled loans.
The lawyer, however, cried foul over the decision of the high court, claiming that he was being harassed for being one of the complainants in the other impeachment complaint lodged against Sereno. — MDM, GMA News