House committee readies impeach raps vs 2 more justices

MANILA, Philippines — The committee on justice of the House of Representatives is readying two impeachment complaints against members of the Supreme Court for graft and corruption, Iloilo Representative Niel Tupas Jr. revealed on Wednesday.

Tupas, committee chair, said this will bring to four the number of magistrates of the Supreme Court who could face trial by the Senate. The two other justices facing impeachment trials are Chief Justice Renato Corona, who was impeached for betrayal of public trust, graft and corruption and culpable violation of the Constitution on Monday, and Justice Mariano del Castillo who faces impeachment for betrayal of public trust arising from plagiarism.

“The two new impeachment complaints are very strong, but we will not name the two justices yet because we want the impeachment trial in the Senate to proceed one at a time,” Tupas told the Inquirer in an interview.

Tupas refused to name the two justices “so as not to shift focus” from Corona, who is the main target of the House move to reform the judiciary.

He said, however, that the impeachment complaint in the committee against Del Castillo might be dismissed as most of the lead committee members will be busy by early next year in prosecuting Corona in the Senate.