The Supreme Court has deferred its decision on the administrative case it initiated against ousted Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno for her public attacks against her colleagues at the height of quo warranto proceedings against her.
The SC justices deliberated on the administrative case against Sereno during its en banc session on Tuesday but failed to come up with a decision due to a varying position on what penalty should be imposed against the ousted top magistrate.
An SC insider revealed that the magistrates agreed to penalize Sereno for transgressing the sub judice rule and for casting aspersions and ill motives to the members of the Supreme Court, but were divided as to penalty to be imposed on her.
The source, who requested anonymity for lack of authority to speak for the Court, said some justices suggested the imposition of the lightest administrative sanction of “reprimand” on Sereno, but others wanted harsher penalty of suspension from law practice.
Due to lack of consensus, as needed in administrative cases, the SC magistrates decided to suspend the deliberations until the next session on Tuesday next week.