House to hear more SC justices today
THREE ASSOCIATE justices and a retired associate justice of the Supreme Court are among the resource persons set to attend the seventh House hearing on the impeachment complaint against Chief Justice Maria Lourdes P.A. Sereno.
The list of resource persons includes current Associate Justices Teresita J. Leonardo-De Castro, Francis H. Jardeleza, and Noel G. Tijam, as well as retired associate justice Arturo D. Brion.
Other court officials also expected to return to today’s hearing are court administrator Jose Midas P. Marquez and clerk of court Felipa B. Anama. Judicial and Bar Council (JBC) executive officer Annaliza S. Ty- Capacite and JBC member Jose Mejia are also expected to testify.
Associate Justice Samuel R. Martires cannot attend the proceedings today. The committee has yet to set a different schedule for the associate justice, according to Oriental Mindoro Representative Reynaldo V. Umali, chairman of the House committee on justice now sitting as the impeachment committee.
Said resource persons are expected to shed light on the allegations involving the creation of the Regional Court Administrative Office ( RCAO), the transfer of Maute cases outside of Mindanao, and the alleged manipulation of the JBC short list of nominees
Ms. De Castro had previously testified on accusations against Ms. Sereno of falsification of Supreme Court resolutions and temporary restraining orders. Mr. Marquez had also attended the hearings in part tackle the delay in benefits for survivors of deceased judges and justices, while Ms. Anama was questioned on the raffle of cases pertaining to the Maute terror crisis in Mindanao.
Sought for comment last week, political analyst Ramon C. Casiple of the Institute for Political and Electoral Reform said about the committee’s pursuit of the impeachment complaint filed by lawyer Lorenzo G. Gadon: “’ Yun ang trabaho nila kasi (That’s their job because) they are preparing a case for prosecution. Sa impeachment court kasi, ang House of Representatives ang prosecutor (In the impeachment court, the House of Representatives is the prosecutor).”
Mr. Casiple said the committee “is charged with producing the case, ’ yung mga ebidensya niya (the evidence). Walang problema do’n (No problem with that).”
He added: “That means kung maghahanap sila ng ebidensya, by whatever means, including hearings, nasa lugar sila (That means if they look for evidence, by whatever means, including hearings, they’re right to do so),” Mr. Casiple said.
Asked to assess the turn of events in the impeachment proceedings, Mr. Casiple said he is almost sure the impeachment case will pass in the House plenary.
The analyst described the proceedings as a “political move” and “numbers game” but noted it is “another thing in the Senate.”
“Kasi ang impeachment court, ibang usapan na ’yon. ’ Pag ang senador may mga constituency to answer for, the whole nation ’ yan. And actually, that’s the important part ng impeachment process, ’ yung public opinion,” Mr. Casiple said.