8 May 2014 – The Philippine Consulate General in Agana reported that Supreme Court Chief Justice Maria Lourdes P.A. Sereno visited Guam from May 3 to 7, ending her visit today as she boarded her Philippine Airlines flight back to Manila. The Chief Justice was in Guam upon the invitation of the Guam Supreme Court for her to be the keynote speaker at the Pacific Judicial Council Juvenile Justice Conference.
Although her visit was entirely arranged by the Guam Supreme Court, Philippine Consul General Bayani V. Mangibin also coordinated with both the hosts and the Filipino Community of Guam (FCG) to enable the Chief Justice to interact with the Filipino community during her stay on the island.
Other than her primary purpose of delivering the keynote address at the Pacific Judicial Council Juvenile Justice Conference, Chief Justice Sereno also graciously accepted the invitation for her to be the guest of honor at the 60th Anniversary Celebration and Welcome Dinner for the Chief Justice hosted by the FCG at the Hyatt Regency Guam.
In her remarks during the FCG event, Chief Justice Sereno outlined her vision for reforming the judiciary and ensuring the rule of law during her tenure as Chief Justice of the Supreme Court. She particularly emphasized the need for the judicial branch and the fiscally autonomous constitutional agencies (e.g. Commission on Audit, Commission on Elections, and the Office of the Ombudsman) to be insulated from the vagaries of politics. As the Chief Justice noted, only when we have ensured the rule of law can we truly make the claim that we have achieved an egalitarian society. She also mentioned the growing awareness among Filipinos in the country and overseas for the need for authentic leadership in all levels of government institutions.
Chief Justice Sereno’s brief but fruitful visit to Guam not only instilled pride among Filipinos in the new direction that the country is taking under its present leadership, but also imbued the Filipino community here with a sense of hope that the positive changes of the present will be carried on well into the future.
During her visit, Chief Justice was also able to cultivate very strong personal relations with her counterparts, Chief Justice Robert Torres and Justice F. Philip Carbullido. The Chief Justice was accompanied during her visit by Atty. Ma. Lourdes E.B. Oliveros, Quezon City RTC Judge Cecilyn Burgos-Villavert, and Atty. Zaldy V. Trespeses. END