House tackles sufficiency of Sereno impeachment

FILE: Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno (Photo by Supreme Court of the Philippines, Public Domain)

MANILA — The House of Representatives on Thursday started its deliberations on whether the impeachment complaint against Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno has sufficient grounds.

House Justice Committee chair Reynaldo Umali said they will determine if there are sufficient grounds for Sereno’s impeachment based on the allegations in the complaint filed by lawyer Larry Gadon and other pleadings from both parties.

Gadon sought the ouster of Sereno on the grounds of culpable violation of the Constitution, corruption, other high crimes and betrayal of public trust.

Sereno’s camp filed a verified answer calling for the dismissal of Gadon’s complaint, noting that the charges are “totally false” and “absolutely without any basis on the facts.”

In his 32-page reply, Gadon described Sereno’s verified answer as a “litany of lamentable lies and lame logic” designed to maneuver her escape from impeachment.

Sereno said in a 30-page rejoinder that Gadon’s reply failed to substantiate the allegations in his impeachment complaint, noting that his arguments are insufficient, without any evidence, and are even contradictory to his own allegations.

“We will take into consideration not just the complaint but also the answer, reply and rejoinder,” Umali said.
Umali, however, said that the committee will not allow Sereno’s request to cross-examine witnesses through her legal counsel.

Sereno has filed two letters asserting her right to allow her lawyers to confront and cross-examine witnesses on her behalf during the impeachment proceedings.

Umali said the determination of sufficient grounds is akin to a preliminary investigation wherein cross-examination is not allowed.