SC Employees Pressured Not to Wear Red as Protest and Call Sereno to Resign

Many Supreme Court (SC) employees were pressured this Monday, March 12 not to wear red T-shirt as a sign of protest against Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno and to call for her resignation. The so-called “Red Monday” started on Monday, March 5 at the SC grounds during flag-raising ceremony, which led to Sereno’s filing of indefinite leave.

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“Yan po ang totoo. Kesyo ide-delay daw yung sahod namin at kakasuhan kami ng administrative case pag nag suot kami ng red na T-shirt. Actually po, nung nakaraang Lunes pa lang, may pressure na sa amin, pero hindi kami nagpatinag. Ito man lang po, magawa namin para ating bayan.” A certain Salvador told reporters who flocked the SC.

(That’s the truth. We were told that our salaries would be delayed and that they would file an administrative case against us if we wear red shirts. Actually, were being pressured since last Monday, but we were not distracted. This is the only thing we can do for our country.)

The SC employee, who requested that his face not be shown on camera added that they understood the manifesto they signed as call to CJ Sereno to resign. “Alam na alam naming ang pinirmahan naming, matagal na nga naming hinihintay yun e. (We definitely know what we signed for, we’ve been waiting for it a long time ago.)” He said.

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Apparently, this is contrary to what CJ Sereno’s spokesperson Atty. Josalee Deinla said in an interview with radio DZMM Monday morning. According to her, many of the SC employees were afraid and experienced intimidation and pressure, adding that the manifesto they signed was not clearly explained to them, and was only forced to do so.

On Sunday, there were reports that three high-ranking SC) officials allegedly “pressured” the board members of the Regional Trial Court Judges Association (RTCJA), the Philippine Judges Association (PJA), and the SC unions to call for the resignation of CJ Sereno. But as expected, their names were not mentioned.



Also this Monday, PJA and various employees’ organizations in the judiciary including the Supreme Court Assembly of Lawyer Employees (SCALE), Philippine Association of Court Employees (PACE), the Supreme Court Employees Association (SCEA), have urged CJ Sereno to resign immediately. Their joint statement was read during the flag ceremony.

Contributed by Renato Pasayao