Evidence piling up against Sereno — Alvarez

Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez (right) said Wednesday, Dec. 6, 2017, that testimonies and documents being given to the House justice committee were helping form a solid impeachment case against Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno (left). INQUIRER FILES

Testimonies and documents being presented to the House committee on justice are slowly providing basis for a solid impeachment case against Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno, Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez said.

“May mga nag-testify, may mga naglabas ng dokumento, so slowly, talagang napu-prove nila ‘yung mga allegation,” Alvarez told a press conference on Wednesday when asked about developments on the case against Sereno.

The Speaker said the truth about Sereno was “slowly coming out” in the hearings.

“Dahan dahan lumalabas ‘yung katotohanan. Ngayon, ‘yung mga denial nung naakusahan (Sereno) ay dahan-dahang nakikita rin natin na walang basehan,” he said.

The justice committee, chaired by Oriental Mindoro Rep. Reynaldo Umali, finished on Wednesday its sixth hearing day to determine whether there is probable cause to pursue the impeachment complaint against Sereno.

Alvarez said he told the committee leadership to proceed with the hearings so when it finishes its report and starts crafting the articles of impeachment, it would stand on solid ground.

“Sabi ko, ituloy n’yo ‘yung hearing. Hopefully lahat ng allegations doon ay maiistrengthen ang testimonies at additional documents. Para kapag nireport ng komite yan at nag-prepare ng articles of impeachment ay talagang matibay. We are standing on solid ground,” he said.

Alvarez also dismissed criticism that the committee was on a fishing expedition to pin Sereno down amid an allegedly flimsy complaint filed by lawyer Lorenzo Gadon.

“Wala tayong ibang tinitingnan dito kundi ‘yung katotohanan,” he said. /cbb