4 more SC justices, psychiatrist to be invited at Sereno impeach hearing

House committee on justice chairman Representative Reynaldo Umali INQUIRER PHOTO / NIÑO JESUS ORBETA

Four more Supreme Court justices — three incumbent and one retired — and a psychiatrist will be invited to testify in the next impeachment hearing against Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno, House justice committee chairman Rep. Reynaldo Umali said.

During Monday’s resumption of the hearing, Umali said the impeachment panel will invite incumbent SC Justices Mariano Del Castillo and Andres Reyes, retired SC Justice Adolf Azcuna, and Court of Appeals Justice Remedios Salazar-Fernando.

Associate Justice Teresita De Castro will also be called to attend the next hearing, said Umali.

The psychiatrist who reportedly gave failing marks on the psychological test of Sereno will also be invited.

“The impeachment committee (likewise) intends to invite the psychiatrist who gave failing marks on the psychiatric or psychological makeup of the Chief Justice and who was allegedly fired or whose contract was not renewed upon the assumption (of office) of the Chief Justice,” Umali said.

Psychiatrists hired by the Judicial and Bar Council reportedly gave Sereno a rating of “4” from a scale of 1 to 5, with “5” being the lowest. The results also showed that Sereno exhibited “depressive markers.”

Umali said the hearing determining whether there was probable cause to impeach Sereno might finish by late February, or first week of March at the latest.

The panel will then submit its recommendation for approval of the plenary before the Congress goes on a Holy Week break on March 23. /je