Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, September 12) — The House of Representatives is taking up the impeachment complaint against Chief Justice Ma. Lourdes Sereno on Wednesday, and on the eve of deliberations the Committee on Justice chairman said it may hurdle the two clearance requirements.
“May mga nakausap akong mangilan-ngilan ano, pero (I have talked to some people, but) I have yet to hear about one who will say that it is insufficient in either form or substance. So all roads lead to, or all comments lead to something like a sufficiency in form and substance,” House Justice Committee Chairperson Reynaldo Umali told CNN Philippines on Tuesday.
Umali said there was a scheduled caucus among lawmakers Tuesday but this gave way to budget deliberations.
An impeachment complaint may be deemed sufficient in form if the complainant has personal knowledge of the allegations and if it is supported by authentic documents, Umali said.
On the issue of sufficiency in substance, he said the complaint should explain why the grounds constitute a violation of the Constitution.
“Example, land cruiser. What will make that purchase of land cruiser, even yung bullet proofing it as would fall under graft, then betrayal of public trust?” Umali said.
The House will tackle two complaints against Sereno Wednesday morning.
The first complaint focuses on supposed violations in her Statements of Assets Liabilities and Net Worth, and alleged questionable expenditures as Chief Justice. The second complaint is about her alleged usurpation of the authority of the whole Supreme Court.
One of the complainants, Larry Gadon, is confident his case will prosper.
“Even the honorable House Majority Leader (Rudy Farinas) even went through my documents and he even advised me to get some documents from the Supreme Court to satisfy some requirements. With that suggestion coming from a bar topnotcher, leader of the House of Representatives, how can I go wrong?” said Gadon, whose complaint was backed by 25 representative.
Gadon said he obtained 384 pages of certified true copies of documents from the Supreme Court, which will be used as evidence. These include documents pertaining to the purchase of an allegedly overpriced vehicle, and a list of overpaid consultants.
Impeachment process
The House of Representatives has the authority to impeach an official.
If the Justice Committee decides that the complaint is sufficient in substance or enough information, Umali said the House will require the respondent, in this case the Chief Justice, to file her response to whichever complaint will prosper.
On the other hand, if the complaints fail to pass the test of sufficiency in form and substance, these are dismissed.
The Justice Committee needs a majority vote to approve the complaints.
Umali said this process similar to a preliminary investigation of the Justice Department before a case is filed in court.
CNN Philippines’ Yvette Morales and Joyce Ilas contributed to this report.
