House sets hearing on Leonen impeachment raps on May 27

Supreme Court Associate Justice Marvic Mario Victor F. Leonen. File photo from Supreme Court of the Philippines website

MANILA, Philippines — The first hearing on the impeachment complaint filed against Supreme Court Associate Justice Marvic Leonen before the House of Representatives is set next week.

According to the House website, the hearing is set on May 27. The hearing was scheduled only two days after the impeachment complaint was referred by the House committee on rules to the committee on justice.

Ako Bicol Rep. Alfredo Garbin Jr., who serves as the vice chairperson of the committee on justice, said earlier the impeachment complaint is not included in the House’s priorities as the lower chamber hustles to approve other measures before the sine die adjournment on June 5.

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Garbin said the Leonen impeachment complaint was not among the priority measures mentioned by Speaker Lord Allan Velasco during their meeting on Monday.

Edwin Cordevilla, secretary general of Filipino League of Advocates for Good Government, filed an impeachment complaint against Leonen in December 2020.

Cordevilla claimed that the magistrate “clearly lacks integrity because he failed to file his statement of assets and liabilities and net worth” for 15 years during his tenure at the University of the Philippines.

The impeachment complaint was endorsed by Ilocos Norte Rep. Angelo Marcos Barba, a cousin of former Sen. Bongbong Marcos.

Leonen, who wrote the decision junking the electoral protest of Marcos against Vice President Leni Robredo, has said that Congress should not spend time on “false issues raised by some for clearly personal or vindictive reasons.”

EDV