MANILA – A party-list representative mulls to file an impeachment complaint against the eight Supreme Court (SC) justices who voted for the ouster of Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno via a quo warranto petition.
Rep. Tom Villarin (Akbayan) said the eight SC justices committed culpable violation of the Constitution for arrogating upon themselves the sole authority of Congress to remove impeachable officials through impeachment.
“I think the next proper and logical move is to file an impeachment complaint against the eight justices for culpable violation of the Constitution,” Villarin said in a media forum in Quezon City.
He added that the justices “have a very unconstitutional decision by usurping the powers of Congress over an impeachable official.”
“It is clearly stated in our Constitution that you can only remove a sitting justice through impeachment,” he stressed.
In a 8-6 vote on May 11, the SC justices granted the quo warranto petition that Solicitor General Jose Calida filed seeking Sereno’s removal.
The eight justices believed that Sereno’s appointment as Chief Magistrate was void from the start due to her failure to file her statement of assets, liabilities and net worth.
Among those who voted in favor of Calida’s petition were SC associate justices Teresita Leonardo-De Castro, Diosdado Peralta, Lucas Bersamin, Francis Jardeleza, Samuel Martires, Noel Tijam, Andres Reyes Jr., and Alexander Gesmundo.
“I believe that Congress, especially the House, would do its constitutional duty of protecting our Constitution, the Congress being the sole institution in which an impeachment complaint will be filed and heard,” Villarin said. “My fellow members in the Magnificent 7 opposition bloc, civil society groups, lawyers groups and those from the private sector are also expected to support this move.”
Villarin said the impeachment complaint will be filed before Congress takes a break this June, to be tackled by the House committee on justice./PN
