Carpio declines invitation to testify in Sereno impeachment

‘Not a big deal’

JUSTICE Antonio Carpio has declined an invitation to appear before the House Committee on Justice to testify on the charges in the impeachment complaint Justice Ma. Lourdes Sereno.

- oro Rep. Reynaldo Umali, the committee chairman, on Thursday.

TheManilaTimes, Umali said Carpio, the most senior magistrate in the high court, declined the invitation to testify claiming he did not have personal knowledge on the accusations against Sereno.

“Yes, [Carpio] declined for lack of per- sonal knowledge on matters to be tackled in the hearing,” Umali said.

Carpio was supposed to testify on the supposedly anomalous hiring of information technology consultant Helen PerezMacasaet and Sereno’s handling of the Justice department’s request to transfer of cases against the Maute group to Metro Manila. Umali said in a phone call the development was not really a big deal, since Clerk of Court Felipa Anama had answered the queries of the committee in connection with the Maute issue.

DECLINES

- ing “the earlier testimonies of the Justices are enough.”

“The testimonies of Justice [Teresita] de Castro, [Justices Francis] Jardeleza [and Noel] Tijam; those are already more than enough to news conference at Serye Restaurant in Quezon City on Thursday.

The three Justices, along with retired Justice Arturo Brion, shed light on the accusation Sereno used public - pable violation of the Constitution for the alleged misdeclaration of Sereno’s Statement of Assets, Liabilities and Net Worth and alleged manipulation of the selection process of the Judicial and Bar Council.

betrayal of public trust and other high crimes.

“[The justices] want to comply in the process engraved in the Constitution that the House of Representatives has the power to conduct impeachment proceedings and they are using that [power] as justices and lawyers,”

He added he was “willing to bet P100 to win P1,000” that Sereno would be impeached.

“I am looking for the bets [that Sereno] will be impeached, even if I

ABS Party-list Rep. Eugene de Vera, in the same news conference, called on Sereno anew to appear before the committee to personally face the charges against her.

The justice committee will com 15. Justices Diosdado Peralta, Lucas Bersamin and Martires are all set to appear, according to Umali.

Cha- cha won’t be affected

Also on Thursday, the Palace said moves to amend the 1987 Constitution will prosper even if Sereno faces the Senate in an impeachment trial.

Palace spokesman Harry Roque Jr. was responding to the comments of Senate Minority Leader Franklin Drilon that a push for Charter change was unlikely to gain traction.

“We respect the opinion of Senator Drilon, but the schedule is determined by the majority bloc, not the

“That’s why the opinion that weighs heavy here is that of the majority bloc led by Senate President [Aquilino] Pimentel [3rd],” Roque added.

The Duterte administration is envisioning a Philippines divided into at least 11 independent states or regions, each with the authority to manage its resources and craft

Roque urged lawmakers to during the May 2019 polls.

FROM A1