Sereno lawyers want impeach case in Senate

After last week’s hearing before the House justice committee, lawyers of Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno said the panel should already put the impeachment complaint filed against the chief magistrate to a vote, instead of turning the proceedings into a “dog and pony show.”

Lawyers Joshua Santiago and Aldwin Salumbides, both Sereno’s spokespersons, branded the complaint filed by lawyer Lorenzo “Larry” Gadon as “weak,” despite the committee voting that it was sufficient in form and substance in September.

“It is evident that the complaint is very shallow,” Salumbides said. “But since they already decided that it’s sufficient in form and substance, why are they still prolonging the proceedings? Why are they still forcing Gadon to present documents, evidence and witnesses?”

He said the House panel’s moves were “logically incoherent” and “legally questionable.”

“It’s obvious what they’re trying to do: They’re putting on a show, and at the same time, getting a feel of the public,” Santiago said.

He added the committee members also appear to be working to remedy the complaint, which they had slammed for being “raw.”

Sereno’s camp earlier denounced the justice panel’s decision to reject her motion to be represented by her counsel and to cross-examine through her lawyers.

“They want to supposedly clarify the complaint … and they are presenting that they are affording the Chief Justice the right to answer, but at the same time, denying her the right to counsel and cross-examination,” Santiago said.

“It is a mystery why this is still going on … if it seems like [the committee members’] minds are already made up,” he added, noting that if the committee wanted to clarify the evidence, Sereno should be given the chance to participate in the proceedings.

Both lawyers, however, expressed optimism that their camp would receive fair treatment among senators, if and once the House justice panel finds probable cause in the complaint and the case reaches the Senate.

“We do not expect fair treatment. We demand fair treatment—not just for the Chief Justice, but for any Filipino citizen who would be made to face charges like this,” Salumbides said.

He said their optimism banked on senators being more independent and “not beholden to certain party interests.”

But whether Sereno would appear before the Senate remains to be seen, they said.

“We hope they would just elevate it to the Senate so they can form into an impeachment court and we will be afforded the right to present our evidence and to cross-examination—our basic and fundamental rights,” Santiago said.

Their camp is also now “strongly considering” bringing the matter to the Supreme Court as their last recourse against the impeachment complaint, they said.

The Chief Justice would then recuse herself in the event the case reaches the high court.

Depending on the results of the scheduled hearings next week, Santiago noted that they might file a perjury charge against Gadon in the next few days or weeks for his complaint which was based on “double hearsay.”