Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, November 21) — Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno is ready to face accusations hurled in the impeachment complaint against her– even if it leads to a full-blown trial in Senate.
Speaking to CNN Philippines on Monday, Sereno’s lawyer, Jojo Lacanilao, said the embattled Chief Justice’s camp is prepared to defend Sereno, whatever Congress decides at its hearings.
“We’ll face the music. The Chief Justice will not detract or retreat from this fight, so whatever is the decision of the House of Representatives, it has all the prerogatives to make that decision based on the constitution,” Gadon told CNN Philippines’ Newsroom.
“Whatever they come up with- and this goes all the way to the Senate… The position of the Chief Justice… She is ready to face the accusations against her.”
Sereno is facing an impeachment complaint filed by lawyer Larry Gadon, who has accused her of violating the Constitution, corruption, betrayal of public trust, and other high crimes.
On Wednesday, the House Justice Committee is set to determine if there is probable cause to impeach Sereno.
Lawmakers have invited Sereno to appear before the panel on Wednesday. Sereno’s camp, however, wants her lawyers to speak on behalf of the Chief Justice in the coming hearings.
Lacanilao said Sereno’s camp is set to send a formal response to the House of Representatives on Tuesday. He said the response will state the Chief Justice’s right to cross-examine witnesses through her counsel, but he did not expound on the details.
This comes even as some House officials seem unreceptive to the idea, as the lower house believes it contravenes its rules of procedure for impeachment.
On Monday, House Justice Panel Chair Reynaldo Umali said the House Rules of Procedure allow only resource persons, not their lawyers, to speak. Meanwhile, House Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez said if Sereno does not appear at the hearings, it will strengthen the complaint against her.
READ: House panel chair warns of ‘constitutional crisis’ if Sereno lawyers turn to high court
Lacanilao said the House of Representatives has allowed lawyers to conduct cross examinations before.
“In previous impeachment proceedings, by the magnanimity of the House of Representatives, they allow the lawyers to conduct cross examination or appear for the accused,” he said.
He adds, whatever Umali and Alvarez have said so far are not “binding,” and it is the panel itself that will have to decide on the situation on Wednesday.
“Well, Speaker Alvarez is not the committee. The committee will have to decide on the situation… resulting from our response to the invitation tomorrow,” he said.
READ: House panel chair warns of ‘constitutional crisis’ if Sereno lawyers turn to high court
Two impeachment complaints were originally filed against Sereno — one filed by Dante Jimenez of Volunteers Against Crime and Corruption (VACC) and Eligio Mallari of Vanguard of the Philippine Constitution last August 15, and the other by Gadon.
Only Gadon’s complaint hurdled Justice Committee proceedings, and was ruled sufficient in form and substance, and with sufficient grounds.
READ: One of two impeachment raps vs. Chief Justice Sereno hurdles House panel
If the Justice Committee finds probable cause to impeach Sereno, it will send a report to the plenary.
A vote of at least one-third of the members of the House of Representatives, or 98 out of the 292 lawmakers, will result in a trial at the Senate, which will sit as an impeachment court.
CNN Philippines’ Joyce Ilas and Eimor Santos contributed to this report
