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BY ADRIAN STEWART CO
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Thursday. September 14, 2017
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MANILA – An impeachment complaint that a lawyer filed against Supreme Court Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno was sufficient in form and substance, the House of Representatives justice committee ruled.
During a hearing on Wednesday, 30 committee members voted in favor of the complaint filed by Atty. Lorenzo Gadon. Four members opposed it.
But another impeachment complaint against Sereno, filed by the Volunteers Against Crime and Corruption, was deemed insufficient in form and substance. Twenty-eight representatives voted for its dismissal.
Rep. Anthony Bravo of the Coop-Natcco party-list moved for the approval of the Gadon complaint, citing the need for Congress to look into allegations that Sereno is unfit to hold public office.
“Same as charges against court personnel must be acted on by the Supreme Court, so the charges against the chief magistrate must be heard by the institution that can hold the chief justice accountable – Congress,” Bravo said.
Opposition lawmakers Carlos Zarate of Bayan Muna, Tom Villarin of Akbayan and Edcel Lagman of Albay contested the form of the Gadon complaint, saying it was based merely on newspaper clippings.
But Committee Chairman Reynaldo Umali and Majority Floor Leader Rodolfo Fariñas said the Gadon complaint contained authentic documents released by the Supreme Court on Aug. 15.
Zarate and Lagman also contested the motion of Harry Roque (Kabayan party-list) to declare the Gadon complaint sufficient in form and substance, but failed to gain ground.
The Lower House, being duly elected representatives of the people, should step in to protect democratic institutions like the Supreme Court, said Umali.
“We should remember impeachment proceedings are political in nature,” he said. “The power of impeachment is exercised by duly elected representatives of the people.”
In his complaint, Gadon alleged that Sereno did not declare 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 resolution and a restraining order in two pending cases filed before the Supreme Court.
She also prevented Court of Appeals justices from calling on the President, practiced favoritism and usurped the mandate of the high court, Gadon alleged.
Moreover, the chief justice prevailed upon a lower court judge not to issue an arrest warrant against Sen. Leila de Lima, added the lawyer.
In addition, Gadon said Sereno is guilty of corruption for extravagant spending.
According to Gadon, the chief justice bought a Toyota Land Cruiser worth P5.1 million and spent another P3 million to P4 million for bullet-proofing it; travelling and taking flights in business class; and spending P150,000 a night in a presidential suite in Boracay./PN
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