SC’s IT consultant appears at House impeach hearing vs Sereno

The information and technology (IT) consultant who was paid a total of P12 million allegedly on the orders of Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno has appeared at the House justice committee hearing on the impeachment complaint against the country’s top magistrate.

Consultant Helen Macasaet is expected to shed light on the hefty consultancy fee of around P2.4 million a year when her contract was allegedly approved by Sereno.

The House justice committee chaired by Oriental Mindoro Rep. Reynaldo Umali has been conducting the hearings to determine the probable cause in the impeachment complaint filed by lawyer Larry Gadon against Sereno.

Also in attendance during the hearing was Associate Justice Zaldy Trespases, who appeared at the House fort the second time to testify on Sereno’s alleged manipulation of the shortlist for the Judicial and Bar Council (JBC) nominees, as well as on the chief magistrate’s supposed luxurious lifestyle.

Others who attended the hearing were Supreme Court (SC) officials like Court Administrator Midas Marquez, Deputy Court Administrator Raul Villanueva, Deputy Clerk of Court Corazon Ferrer-Flores, En Banc clerk of court Felipa Anama, procurement head Carina Cunanan, and Bids and Awards Committee Chairperson Thelma Bahia.

The House panel also invited executive of Shangri-La’s Boracay and Resort, but they asked to be excused due to scheduling conflicts.

Gadon accused Sereno of corruption when she allegedly used public bunds to stay in luxurious hotels but Sereno’s camp argued that the venue was chosen to accommodate VIP guests, including chief justices of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean).      /kga