SERENO LIKELY TO BE IMPEACHED BASED ON EVIDENCE — ANALYST
THERE is enough basis for the Senate Sereno if senator-judges give weight to the - tions, an analyst said on Friday. Antonio “Butch” Valdes said conceding that a Senate impeachment trial would be a question of numbers, not of principle, would discredit the process. “If that is the case then they ( senators) will be the ones who will destroy the process because as judges, they must be impartial and they should look at evidence rather said in an interview. The justice committee of the House of Representatives on Thursday found probable cause to impeach Sereno for corruption, betrayal of public trust and culpable violation of the Constitution. Valdes said the testimonies of Supreme Court associate justices during the House justice committee’s impeachment hearing helped strengthen the case against Sereno.
He cited the testimony of the justices regarding Sereno’s decision to bypass her fellow justices in major decisions such as
“They (justices) gave testimony about what was supposed to be decided enbanc; she decided by herself, and made it look like it was en banc. That was bad faith and bad procedure,” Valdes said.
The testimony of a psychiatrist who as claims Sereno was unfit for the chief justice post.
“They can say that these allegations are not impeachable offenses, but when you put it all together, it is like one major offense; plus the result of the psychological examination [that] contributes to the fact that this person should not have been appointed chief justice,” Valdes pointed out.
Valdes even said the case against
Sereno was stronger than that - nato Corona, who was convicted by the Senate impeachment court in 2012 over alleged undeclared wealth.
Valdes also noted that many people in the judiciary were against Sereno. When Corona was facing impeachment, the judiciary and courts all over the country remained supportive of the chief justice, Valdes recalled.
This was despite the call of then president Benigno Aquino 3rd to the people to support Corona’s impeachment.
Valdes cautioned senators against the possible drawback of a Sereno acquittal, noting that majority of the people were expecting a conviction.
“So they ( senators) must be careful in handling the Sereno’s impeachment trial,” he added.
Dangers
Apart from impeachment, the chief justice is also facing a peti - fore the high tribunal, questioning
Political analyst Ramon Casiple warned of a crisis that could arise should Sereno be removed based on the petition.
Casiple in a separate interview said either of two types of crises could happen if senators insisted on the quowarranto petition: a constitutional crisis or a political crisis.
He said, Congress, particularly, the Senate, would not be happy if Sereno was removed based on the petition because it would mean their authority to try impeachable
Casiple said it was the Senate, under the Constitution, that has the sole authority to try and decide all cases of impeachment.
But the political analyst said the administration should also watch out for the political crisis that could occur if the quo warranto petition succeeds.
He said the political opposition might use the issue and get the support of the people who would
“They may succeed in removing the chief justice but they might also [start] a process that would isolate the administration,” said Casiple, executive director of the Institute for Political and Electoral Reform.
He said the President, whether the Palace liked it or not, would be accused of being behind a move bereft of constitutional basis, which could affect his popularity.
Casiple cited the case of former president Ferdinand Marcos whose popularity significantly suffered after he insisted that the high court approve the 1973 Constitution without undergoing
He said, Marcos, at the time, got what he wanted, but his government faced a 13-year rebellion and a “people power revolution” in the end.
‘Duterte not bullying Sereno’
President Duterte is not bullying the chief justice, Malacañang said on Friday, arguing that the top job alienating her own colleagues” in the Supreme Court.
Palace spokesman Harry Roque - no, facing an impeachment complaint in Congress, vowed not to bow down to intense pressure, harassment and bullying from “those in power.”
“Pa gd a tings aP re sid en te,h ina hay a ann i ya angp roses on a um us adka sing a,n as aS ali gang Bat as nam an`yungp roses ongiy an (When it comes to the President, he is allowing the process to move forward because the process is in accordance with the Constitution),” Roque said.
“Pero an gay aw kolang,`yung mgasinasabiniya lately naang President ed a wan gd ah il an kung ba kit si ya pin a pat al sik sap wes to (What I don’t like is what she [Sereno] was saying lately that the President is the reason why she he added.