OSG urged to check validity of Sereno appointment

House Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez on Wednesday said the Office of the Solicitor-General should look into the possibility of questioning the validity of the appointment of Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno before the Supreme Court. (PNA photo)

MANILA — House Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez on Wednesday said the Office of the Solicitor-General should look into the possibility of questioning the validity of the appointment of Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno before the Supreme Court.

Alvarez made the statement after it was disclosed in an impeachment hearing that Sereno was “unfit” for the top magistrate post based on her psychiatric test results.

“Kung ako tatanungin mo, magpa-file ako ng case sa Supreme Court, kukwestiyunin ko yung validity mismo ng appointment… Tingin ko yung pinaka-logical dun ay yung Office of the Solicitor General, (If you would ask me, I would file a case before the Supreme Court questioning the validity of her appointment… I think the most logical [to initiate the case] is the Office of the Solicitor General),” Alvarez said.

Alvarez said if Sereno’s appointment was deemed invalid, then the impeachment would be “moot and academic” since “there is nobody to impeach in the first place.”

“Impeachment presupposes a valid appointment. So halimbawa hindi ka nag-comply doon sa requisites na kinakailangan (for example, you did not comply with the requisites needed) for that position, is the appointment valid?” Alvarez said.

The House of Representatives justice committee is set to vote next week if there is probable cause in the impeachment complaint lodged against Sereno.

The House justice panel has wrapped up its impeachment deliberations Tuesday.