Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO/LYN RILLON
Face the House of Representatives if you’re innocent or just resign.
This was Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez’s unsolicited advice on Wednesday to Chief Justice Ma. Lourdes Sereno, who is facing an impeachment complaint before the House committee on justice.
“Kung ako, kung alam kong inosente ako sa charges at kaya kong panindigan yan, e haharap ako sa impeachment court, haharap ako sa committee. Pero kung medyo alanganin ka at alam mong marami ka ring tinatago e nasa sa’yo na yan, mag resign ka na lang,” Alvarez said when asked on DZMM what advice he would give to the Chief Justice.
“Kung may tinatago, e kung ayaw mong masiwalat e mag resign ka. Kasi hindi biro yan. Yung bituka mo dyan lalabas,” he added.
Alvarez insisted that Sereno herself, and not her lawyers, should face the hearing at the House to answer the allegations hurled at her in the complaint.
“Hindi naman yung abogado yung akusado dito, sya (Sereno). E bakit sya takot humarap?”
“Ibig sabihin wala syang ganung katibay na loob at konsensya para harapin nya yung mga accusers nya,” the Speaker added.
Alvarez said he had read the complaint and was convinced that the allegations against Sereno were more serious than that of Commission on Elections chair Andres Bautista.
The House of Representatives voted to impeach Bautista despite the latter’s announcement that he would step down on December 31.
“Mas mabigat pa. Talagang mas mabigat pa,” he said.
“Bakit hindi mabigat e kumpleto yung dokumento…” said Alvarez, adding that more people would like to testify against Sereno.