Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, October 23) — The lawyers of Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno on Monday urged a House panel to allow them to cross-examine witnesses to be presented against her in the impeachment proceedings.
They filed a motion urging the House Committee on Justice to act upon the two letters they have filed on September 28 and October 3 asserting Sereno’s right to grant her legal counsels permission to question the witnesses.
The Chief Justice’s Spokesperson, Attorney Josalee Deinla, said Sereno deserves the right to be represented by her lawyers in the impeachment proceedings.
“Sa ilalim ng ating konstitusyon, lahat ng mamamayan ay may karapatan na depensahan ang sarili through counsel at ito ang pinipili niyang gawin,” Deinla told reporters Monday.
[Translation: Under the constitution, all citizens have the right to defend themselves through counsel, and she opted to do so.]
“Walang sinasaad na exemption sa ating konstitusyon, walang sinasaad doon na dahil Chief Justice ka ay di na pwede ‘yung right to counsel,” she added.
[Translation: The Constitution states no exemption. It does not say that just because you are Chief Justice, you do not have the right to counsel.]
Sereno’s lawyers said she also has the right through her legal counsels to object to improper questions during the direct examination of the witnesses.
READ: Chief Justice’s lawyers reiterate appeal to cross-examine witnesses
The House justice committee’s chairman, Representative Reynaldo Umali, had earlier denied the lawyers’ requests, and said only Sereno could cross-examine the witnesses that will be presented against her in the impeachment hearing.
READ: Sereno asks House panel to junk impeachment complaint
Umali said the entire committee will have to resolve the motion filed by Sereno’s lawyers.
House Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez previously said he will not allow other people to examine the witnesses on Sereno’s behalf, claiming she is Chief Justice after all.
The panel is expected to hold a hearing on the determination of probable cause for the impeachment complaint against Sereno when sessions resume in November.
