Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno. RICHARD A. REYES/INQUIRER FILE PHOTO
Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno has designated a constitutional and administrative law expert as her spokesperson in the impeachment complaint filed against her in the House of Representatives.
The spokesperson, Atty. Carlo L. Cruz, is the son of the late Supreme Court Associate Justice Isagani Cruz.
A cum laude graduate of San Beda College of Law, he was admitted to the practice of law in 1983.
He is the author of the Philippine Administrative Law and The Law of Public Officers.
He is also a law professor and a Bar reviewer.
Impeachment complaint
Sereno’s move came after President Duterte’s allies in the House justice committee on Wednesday voted to impeach her after determining corruption allegations against her had substance.
Sereno has criticized the government’s drug war.
She wrote Duterte a letter last year expressing concern over him publicly naming seven judges as being involved in the drug trade, warning it made them vulnerable to being killed.
Duterte responded by threatening to declare martial law if Sereno continued to interfere in his drug war.
Should the entire House endorse the justice committee’s findings against Sereno, the Senate would convene as an impeachment court.
The Senate is also dominated by Duterte allies, but it has proved more independent than the lower house and it could still over-rule the moves against the rights commission and Sereno.