House panel to move deadline of hearing on impeachment case vs Sereno

Rep. Reynaldo Umali, chair of the House Committee on Justice (File photo by LYN RILLON / Philippine Daily Inquirer)

The House Committee of Justice, which is handling the impeachment complaint against Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno, will not be able to meet its Dec. 13 deadline in determining the probable cause to oust the chief magistrate.

Oriental Mindoro Rep. Reynaldo Umali, committee chairman, said on Tuesday that the deadline would now be “unrealistic” for the panel to beat.

“Hindi na realistic ’yung timeline na ‘yon so we’ll make adjustments,” Umali told reporters at the sidelines of the resumption of the impeachment hearing on the complaint.

“The justices who would have provided the testimony earlier pero nag-request sila na Dec. 11 pa eh that was the time na we were planning na we will already vote at the committee level. So definitely, hindi na muna natin magagawa ‘yon, and then dadaan pa sa rules committee, and then sa plenary,” Umali said.

He said three active justices and a retired justice expressed their willingness to testify in the hearings next Monday, Dec. 11.

Associate Justice Teresita Leonardo-de Castro, who first appeared on Nov. 29, Associate Justices Francis Jardeleza and Noel Tijam will attend the proceedings.

Retired Associate Justice Arturo Brion also committed to attend.

In previous interviews, Umali said the committee would want to finish the plenary report before the Congress adjourns the session for Christmas on Dec. 13.

It will then be fielded in plenary for the members of the House of Representatives to vote on whether to approve or reject the report.

If the resolution is approved by at least one-third of all the House members vote, it would then be transmitted to the Senate. /atm