Palace: Impeachment raps vs 7 SC justices have no merit

The impeachment complaints filed against the seven Associate Justices of the Supreme Court (SC) who voted in favor of the quo warranto petition against ousted chief justice Maria Lourdes Sereno have no merit, Malacañang said Friday.

“Well, naniniwala po kami na walang merito iyan at inaasahan namin na mababasura kaagad iyan ng Committee on Justice,” Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said in an interview on dzRH radio.

On Thursday, lawmakers from the House of Representatives filed an impeachment complaint against Justices Teresita Leonardo de Castro, Diosdado Peralta, Lucas Bersamin, Francis Jardeleza, Andres Reyes Jr., Alexander Gesmundo, and Noel Tijam, before the Office of the Secretary-General.

READ: SC justices who ousted Sereno face impeachment complaints

Albay Representative  Edcel Lagman, one of the complainants, said the justices’ decision was errant and orchestrated, adding that the ruling was also a violation of Article XI, Section 2 of the 1987 Constitution which states that Chief Justices may be removed through an impeachment process.

But Roque said the decision of the Supreme Court was constitutional.

“Eh kasi, whether be it ‘no on form or substance nakita po natin na nasa hurisdiksyon ng Korte Suprema iyong desisyon nila kay dating Chief Justice Sereno. Ang sabi po ng SaligangBatas, merong hurisdiksyon ang Korte Suprema pagdating sa mga petisyon para sa quo warranto,” he said.

“So, hindi ko po maintindihan, kung bakit naging impeachable offense iyan,” he added.

Sereno was removed by her colleagues on May 11 after eight justices voted to grant the quo warranto petition filed by Solicitor General Jose Calida.

 READ: Peers kick Sereno out via Calida’s QW