Probable grounds to oust CJ
MANILA — The House of Representatives justice committee was able to establish probable cause to impeach Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno, according to its chairperson Rep. Reynaldo Umali (Oriental Mindoro).
"We were able to establish, somehow, from my viewpoint, still subject to voting by members, all of the grounds: Culpable violation (of the Constitution), corruption, other high crimes and betrayal of public trust," Umali said in an interview with ANC's Early Edition yesterday.
Umali clarified that his remark was only his personal opinion as the committee has yet to vote. He, however, said that they have established grounds to impeach Sereno in the 15 hearings they held.
The justice panel is set to vote on the probable cause next week, March 6.
He added that he still does not know where the accusations thrown against Sereno would fall under the four grounds for impeachment. But he said that the following issues have the most weight in the impeachment proceeding: issue of the Sereno's missing Statement of Assets, Liabilities and Net Worth when she applied for the position in 2012; issue on the psychiatric qualification or make up of the chief justice; usurpation of authority, or arrogation Gadon, in his verified complaint, cited 27 acts of Sereno that are impeachable. The committee wrapped up its hearing last Tuesday, February 27.
Also on Tuesday's hearing, the justice panel held an executive session to discuss the results of the Judicial and Bar Council's psychological exam of Sereno.
The results of the psychological exam manifest in her leadership of the high court, Umali said. Umali said that the purchase of a Land Cruiser for use by the chief justice shows grandiosity, which he linked to the results of Sereno's psychological exam.
"It has something to do again with grandiosity, the symptom that came up from the psychiatric exam," he said.
"She did not have this all her life until she became chief justice. She may be entitled to it, but that is not the standard in the SC," he added.
The psychological exam has a 1 to 5 scoring system with 5 signifying that the person must be suffering psychosis or a serious mental disorder. A resource person from the JBC, however, explained that there is no rule saying candidates with a score of 5 are disqualified from the post.
Sereno got a score of 4 in the exam meaning that while she projected a "happy mood" she also exhibited "depressive markers."
The Sereno camp earlier said that the purchase of the vehicle, approved by the SC en banc, was to ensure the safety and security of the chief justice.
Sereno has apologized for "inaccurate" convey of her previously scheduled wellness leave.