House to tackle impeachment complaint vs Sereno — Speaker

House Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez. INQUIRER FILE / LYN RILLON

Expect the House of Representatives to start deliberations on the impeachment bid against Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno after the Supreme Court granted the release of pertinent documents cited in the complaint against her.

Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez said this in an interview over ABS-CBN News Channel on Wednesday when asked about the status of various impeachment complaints filed in the lower chamber.

READ: SC Oks release of documents requested for Sereno impeach rap

“Yung impeachment complaint against the Chief Justice, [na-file] yun. Pino-process namin ngayon yun. Tinitignan namin kung sufficient in form, kung sufficient in substance,” Alvarez said.

(The impeachment complaint filed against the Chief Justice is now being processed. We’re studying if it’s sufficient in form and sufficient in substance)

“Magkaka-committee hearing dyan, especially now na yung Supreme Court nag-issue ng mga certified true copies nung lahat ng mga allegations nung complainant so kelangan naming dinggin yun. Mag he-hearing kami dun ,” he added.

(There will be hearings on that especially now that the Supreme Court has issued certified true copies of all those allegations cited by the complainant so we have to hear that. We will hold hearings on that)

At least two impeachment complaints have been filed against Sereno but they have yet to get an endorser from any member of the House.

Also facing an impeachment complaint at the House of Representatives is Ombdusman Conchita Carpio-Morales. But unlike Sereno, Alvarez said there were no certified true copies that would support the case against the Ombudsman.

“So mga clippings, allegations, mahirap e…We have to be fair dun sa person accused,” the Speaker said.

“Kung gusto lang naming i-impeach yung isang impeachable official madali yun. May signatures lang na kelangan e nasa majority kami. Kaya lang pagsampa n’yan dun sa impeachment court, magmumukha kaming tanga run. Ayokong mangyari ‘yun,” he said.

(If we just want to impeach an impeachable official, that’s easy. We just have to get the necessary signatures. We’re in the majority. But if we file it in the impeachment court, we’d look stupid there. And I don’t want that to happen)

The House had dismissed the impeachment bid against President Rodrigo Duterte while the chamber has yet to act on a separate complaint filed against Vice President Leni Robredo. CBB