The impeachment complaints filed by some opposition lawmakers against newly-appointed Chief Justice Teresita de Castro and six other justices who ousted Maria Lourdes Sereno will not affect the legislative agenda of House of Representatives.
This was the assurance made by Majority Leader and Camarines Sur 1st District Rep. Rolando Andaya, Jr. on Tuesday.
“This will have no effect sa legislative agenda of the House. Magaling naman sa multitasking ang Congress. The budget hearings will go on, the impeachment hearings will go on, and our regular sessions will go on,” he said.
The lower chamber also resumed its budget deliberations for the proposed 2019 national budget on Tuesday, Aug. 28.
Asked about the chances of the impeachment cases prospering in the Lower House, Andaya said it depends on the House committee on justice and its members who would tackle the issue on Sept. 4.
“It depends on the committee and the members on how they would appreciate the complaint,” he said.
READ: House panel vows speedy proceedings of impeach raps vs magistrates
Last Thursday, Albay 1st District Rep. Edcel Lagman, Akbayan Rep. Tom Villarin, Magdalo Rep. Gary Alejano, and Ifugao Rep. Teddy Baguilat filed impeachment complaints against De Castro, and Associate Justices Andres Reyes Jr., Lucas Bersamin, Diosdado Peralta, Francis Jardeleza, Noel Tijam, and Alexander Gesmundo.
READ: SC justices who ousted Sereno face impeachment complaints
LOOK: Impeach complaints vs anti-Sereno SC associate justices
Speaker Gloria Macapagal Arroyo earlier vowed to expedite the proceedings to avoid disturbing the legislative agenda of the lower chamber. /vvp
READ: Arroyo vows speedy processing of impeach cases vs anti-Sereno SC justices
However, Lagman criticized Arroyo’s pronouncement as “uncalled for” because this could be tantamount to expediting the dismissal of the complaints.
“It is a mandate of the House to accept impeachment complaints and I don’t think it would impede on the House work,” Lagman said in a Tuesday press briefing. /vvp