Prosecution asks Sereno to appear before impeachment court

MANILA, Philippines – The prosecution panel of the House of Representatives asked Supreme Court Associate Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno to appear before the Impeachment Court and testify against Chief Justice Renato Corona.

In a one page letter dated February 27 and received by the office of Sereno on February 28, the prosecution said they wanted the high court justice to testify on March 1.

“I would like to request for your attendance on March 1, 2012 at 2pm at the Philippine Senate to testify on your dissenting opinion including the circumstances surrounding the issuance of the TRO in favor of former President Gloria Arroyo and the suppression of the promulgation of your dissenting opinion originally submitted on Dec. 2, 2011,” Representative Neri Javier Colmenares, lead Prosecutor for Article 7.

“The impeachment proceedings involve issues of accountability and truth in the judiciary and we believe that your testimony will help the impeachment court in arriving at a conclusion on the issues above-mentioned in relation to charges that the Chief Justice acted with partiality and bias in the issuance of TRO in favor of former Pres. Arroyo in the consolidated case of Gloria and Miguel Arroyo,” Colmenares said.

The House prosecution panel sent the letter to Sereno following the refusal of the Senate Impeachment court to issue a subpoena to compel Sereno to testify.

Senate President Juan Ponce-Enrile said they were avoiding a clash between the Senate and the Supreme Court.