Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, October 10) — Lawyers for the Chief Justice said Tuesday they will push for their right to cross-examine witnesses against Maria Lourdes Sereno on her behalf.
Sereno’s spokespersons, attorneys Josalee Deinla and Jojo Lacanilao, reiterated their right to question witnesses against the Chief Justice, they said on CNN Philippines’ The Source.
“We’re not hearing very good things… but we are pushing that she be allowed to cross-examine through her counsel any witness that they will present to be fair,” said Lacanilao.
“It’s really unfair to the Chief Justice because they’re practically not giving her any right to cross-examine by her counsel. So that’s just very worrisome for us and we would like to appeal to the congressmen to actually rethink that because what we want is the truth, we want fairness,” he added.
In a letter to the House Committee on Justice, Sereno and her lawyers sought the right to question witnesses in the upcoming hearings on the impeachment complaint. The complainant Attorney Larry Gadon says three associate justices may testify against her.
Related: De Castro, two more justices to testify against Sereno – impeachment complainant
However, House Justice Committee chairman Rey Umali said in an earlier hearing that only Sereno herself can conduct a cross-examination.
“We will not allow the lawyers to speak directly to do cross-examination because that is not allowed by the rules of the House,” said Umali.
“Only the resource persons, in this case the respondent, in my own interpretation of our own rules, may be allowed to do that,” he added.
Sereno’s lawyers disagree. Deinla maintained that it is still within the rules.
“She has that right under the rules of impeachment of the House of Representatives. There is a section there that expressly mentions cross-examination following direct examination,” said Deinla.
“So after the complainant presents witnesses, the respondent, the Chief Justice in this case, has the right to confront these witnesses,” she added.
The impeachment complaint against the Chief Justice alleges Sereno lists 27 allegations under four grounds of impeachment, particularly violating the Constitution, corruption, betrayal of public trust, and other high crimes.
Her camp maintains the lack of evidence and expressed dismay that the complaint was deemed sufficient by the House panel without tapping witness accounts.
President Rodrigo Duterte said he may file another impeachment complaint against Sereno. Her lawyers hope he will reconsider after studying the complaint.
The House Committee on Justice found the complaint against Sereno to have sufficient grounds on October 5.
Related: House panel finds sufficient grounds for Sereno impeachment
Sereno has been critical of Duterte’s bloody war on drugs and the burial of late president Ferdinand Marcos at Libingan ng mga Bayani. The President’s critics maintain the charges against Sereno are an attack on the independence of the judiciary.
CNN Philippines Correspondent Joyce Ilas contributed to this report.
