Aguirre to testify vs Sereno at House impeach hearing

Atty. Larry Gadon (light gray jacket), impeachment complainant versus Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno, and Department of Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aquirre (light brown jacket) at the resumption of the House committee on justice’s impeachment hearing on November 28, 2017. Aguirre is set to testify against Sereno, who allegedly deliberately delayed action on his request to transfer cases versus  Maute group members and sympathizers to a Taguig City court. (PHOTO BY RYAN LEGOGO)

Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II is set to appear and testify before the House justice committee hearing on Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno’s impeachment on Tuesday.

Aguirre is expected to shed light on the allegations that Sereno deliberately delayed his request to the Supreme Court (SC) to transfer cases against members and sympathizers of the Maute group to a Taguig City court.

Aguirre was seeking reconsideration of the SC’s order designating a Cagayan De Oro court as a special court to handle the Maute cases.

This was because Aguirre feared for the safety of the prosecutors, judges and court personnel especially after one of the Maute leaders was arrested in Cagayan De Oro City.

The House panel is still deliberating if there is probable cause to impeach the chief magistrate.

Aside from Aguirre, at least two SC associate justices were also invited to appear before the committee. Associate Justices Teresita de Castro and Noel Tijam expressed their willingness to testify once the SC’s en banc allows them to do so.       /kga