Maria Lourdes Sereno

In this Philippine name for married women, the birth middle name or maternal family name is Punzalan, the birth surname or paternal family name is Aranal, and the marital name is Sereno.

The Honorable
Maria Lourdes Sereno
As a result of Republic v. Sereno, Sereno was ousted from her position. She is no longer considered the 24th Chief Justice of the Philippines, as the Court ruled that her appointment was never legal.[1][2]
Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of the Philippines
De facto
In office
August 25, 2012 – May 11, 2018[a]
On leave from March 1 – May 9, 2018[b]
Appointed byBenigno Aquino III
Preceded byRenato Corona
Succeeded byTeresita de Castro
169th Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the Philippines
In office
August 13, 2010 – August 25, 2012
Appointed byBenigno Aquino III
Preceded byRenato Corona
Succeeded byMarvic Leonen
Personal details
Born
Maria Lourdes Punzalan Aranal

(1960-07-02) July 2, 1960 (age 64)
Manila, Philippines
EducationAteneo de Manila University (BA)
University of the Philippines Diliman (LLB, MA)
University of Michigan (LLM)

Maria Lourdes "Meilou" Aranal-Sereno (Tagalog: [sɛˈrɛnɔ]; born Maria Lourdes Punzalan Aranal; July 2, 1960) is a Filipina lawyer and judge who served as de facto chief justice of the Supreme Court of the Philippines[3] from 2012 until 2018.

Appointed as an associate justice by President Benigno Aquino III in August 2010, she became the second youngest person (at the age of 52) to assume the post of chief justice in August 2012. She is considered to be the first woman head of a judicial branch in any Southeast Asian sovereign state.[4]

She was removed from office by way of an 8–6 decision by the Supreme Court over a quo warranto petition, rendering her appointment as chief justice null and void.[1] Sereno had faced criticism from the administration of President Rodrigo Duterte for expressing her criticism of his Philippine Drug War, and some saw the petition as politically motivated.[5][6][7][8] At the same time she was removed from office, Sereno had also been facing an impeachment trial prior to the granting of the petition, but after its granting, such trial became moot and was never scheduled.[9]

  1. ^ a b c "Republic of the Philippines, represented by Solicitor General Jose C. Calida vs. Maria Lourdes P. A. Sereno (G.R. No. 237428)" (PDF). Supreme Court of the Philippines. May 11, 2018. Archived from the original (PDF) on June 20, 2018. Retrieved May 11, 2018.
  2. ^ Artemio Panganiban (March 1, 2020). "Quo warranto on ABS-CBN (Part 2: Answers)". Philippine Daily Inquirer. Retrieved June 9, 2020.
  3. ^ Cite error: The named reference refina was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  4. ^ Bernal, Buena. "Sereno lone female chief justice in ASEAN meeting". Rappler. Rappler. Retrieved October 6, 2020.
  5. ^ "Philippine chief justice Sereno, Duterte's critic, removed". Al Jazeera. May 11, 2018. Retrieved June 9, 2020.
  6. ^ Watts, Jake Maxwell (May 11, 2018). "Philippines' Top Court Ousts Chief Justice, Critic of Duterte's Drug War". Wall Street Journal. ISSN 0099-9660. Retrieved June 9, 2020.
  7. ^ "Senators react on Sereno ouster; petitioners hail "historic victory"". UNTV News and Rescue. Archived from the original on May 12, 2018. Retrieved May 12, 2018.
  8. ^ Punay, Edu (May 31, 2018). "Sereno appeals ouster from Supreme Court". The Philippine Star. Retrieved June 9, 2020.
  9. ^ Cepeda, Mara (April 11, 2018). "Alvarez wants House to impeach Sereno in May". Rappler. Retrieved June 9, 2020.


Cite error: There are <ref group=lower-alpha> tags or {{efn}} templates on this page, but the references will not show without a {{reflist|group=lower-alpha}} template or {{notelist}} template (see the help page).