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[av_heading heading=’4 more SC justices in Sereno impeach hearing ‘ tag=’h3′ style=’blockquote modern-quote’ size=” subheading_active=’subheading_below’ subheading_size=’15’ padding=’10’ color=” custom_font=” av-medium-font-size-title=” av-small-font-size-title=” av-mini-font-size-title=” av-medium-font-size=” av-small-font-size=” av-mini-font-size=” admin_preview_bg=”]
BY ADRIAN STEWART CO
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MANILA – Four Supreme Court justices are set to appear today at the House of Representatives justice committee hearing on the impeachment complaint filed against Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno.
Associate justices Francis Jardeleza, Samuel Martires and Noel Tijam, and retired Associate Justice Arturo Brion are expected to testify on what they know about the allegations of Atty. Lorenzo Gadon against Sereno, committee chairman Reynaldo Umali said.
Associate Justice Teresita Leonardo-De Castro is also set to make her second appearance in the hearing. Her first was on Nov. 29.
“The four justices requested to delay their appearance in the House hearing as they wait for the Supreme Court to promulgate a decision allowing them to testify,” Umali said.
Today’s hearing is the last for the year, Umali said, as Congress is set to go on Christmas break on Dec. 13. Whether or not there is probable cause to impeach Sereno will be determined next year, he said.
Gadon accused Sereno of culpable violation of the Constitution for allegedly not declaring in her statement of assets, liabilities and net worth the “exorbitant lawyer’s fees” of $745,000, or P37 million, she received from the government.
Sereno was also accused of falsifying a Supreme Court resolution and a restraining order on two pending cases.
Gadon claimed that Sereno also betrayed public trust when she prevented Court of Appeals justices from calling on the president, practiced favoritism, and usurped the mandate of the high court.
Moreover, Sereno obstructed justice for prevailing upon a lower court judge against issuing a warrant of arrest against now detained Sen. Leila de Lima, among other alleged wrongdoings, said Gardon.
The chief justice is, Gadon claimed, guilty of corruption for extravagant spending.
She spent P5.1 million for a Toyota Land Cruiser and another P3 million to P4 million for bullet-proofing it, said the lawyer.
Sereno also travelled and took business-class flights, and spending P150,000 a night in a presidential suite in Boracay, Gadon said./PN
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