2 Sereno impeachment cases lack House endorsers

Two impeachment moves seeking to oust Supreme Court Chief Justice Ma. Lourdes Sereno were brought to the attention of the House of Representatives yesterday.

The complaints, filed by the Volunteers Against Crime and Corruption (VACC) and Vanguards of the Philippines Inc. (VPI), and the PDU30 Constitutional Reform for Federalism, were not expected to take off due to lack of endorsers which is a requirement in the filing of impeachment cases.

The 12-page impeachment complaint of the VACC and VPI (VPI) was filed before the Office of House Secretary General Cesar Pareja.

Lawyer Larry Gadon, president of the PDU30 Constitutional Reform for Federalism and a senatorial candidate in the 2016 national elections, said he expected several congressmen to endorse his 54-page complaint against Sereno.

In a press conference, Gadon, however, admitted that congressmen who vowed to endorse the complaint prevailed upon him not to file the complaint until they have gathered more than 10 signatories from the Lower House.

“Several House members have giv- en assurances that they will support the complaint. We expect them to endorse it today ortomorrow,” he said.

Gadon said prospective endorsers have asked that they given time to study the complaint to allow them to defend it.

“Unlike the complaint filed against CJ Corona, we want the endorsers to be able to study it, he said.

VACC founding chairman Dante Jimenez and VPCI president Eligio Mallari cited “five major issues affecting the competence” of Sereno as they accused her of culpable violation of the Constitution, betrayal of public trust and graft.

It will be recalled that the VACC has also sought the impeachment of Ombudsman Conchita Carpio Morales. The complaint never got off first base for failing to get an endorsement from a House member.

Under the House impeachment rule, no complaint will be processed unless endorsed by an incumbent member of the chamber.

Mindoro Oriental Rep. Rey Umali, chairman of the House Committee on Justice, said the impeachment case may “hamper” passage of vital legislative measures filed before his committee.