Lawmakers want justices who voted for Sereno's ouster impeached

MANILA, Philippines (Updated 4:47 p.m.) — Making good on their word, opposition lawmakers on Thursday submitted an impeachment complaint against six Supreme Court justices who voted for the quo warranto petition against former Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno.

The complaint is unlikely to prosper at the House of Representatives, which is dominated by administration allies. The quo warranto petition against Sereno was initiated by Solicitor General Jose Calida and was preceded by House hearings on a separate but related impeachment complaint against her.

Reps. Edcel Lagman (Albay), Gary Alejano (Magdalo party-list) and Teddy Baguilat Jr. (Ifugao) personally submitted the impeachment complaints against the seven SC justices who granted Calida's quo warranto petition against Sereno.

Rep. Tomasito Villarin (Akbayan Citizens’ Action party-list) joined the three lawmakers as a complainant but not present at the submission.

Associate Justices Teresita De Castro, Diosdado Peralta, Lucas Bersamin, Francis Jardeleza, Noel Tijam, Andres Reyes Jr. and Alexander Gesmundo are accused of culpable violation of the Constitution and betrayal of public trust.

Last May 22, the lawmakers said: “Only a contrite and complete recantation by reconsidering their unlawful, controversial and unpopular decision can save [the justices] from impeachment.”

Their statement came days after the SC voted 8-6 to nullify Sereno’s appointment as the country’s top judge in 2012. The landmark decision was penned by Tijam.

Ombudsman Samuel Martires was earlier named as one of the possible respondents in the impeachment complaint, but he was removed after President Rodrigo Duterte appointed him as head of the Ombudsman.

Chief justice search

Justices De Castro, Peralta, Bersamin and Reyes are among the candidates for the chief justice post.

Lagman, in a televised interview, said that the filing of the complaint should affect the shortlist for the chief justice post.

The Judicial and Bar Council is set to vote on the shortlist on Friday, August 24.

“An applicant who has a pending administrative case will be disqualified. We are saying that this impeachment case is more serious than an administrative case,” Lagman said.

“The impeachment complaint must bar the said justices from aspiring for the position of chief justice,” he added.

The JBC requires applicants to file a clearance or certification of pending or decided cases against the applicant issued by current employer as one of its documentary requirements.

These documents are filed with their application form; contents of these—such as clearance or Statements of Assets, Liabilities and Net Worth—are topics asked to aspirants by the JBC during the public interview.

The four justices faced the JBC last week, August 16.

Lagman also said that the four chief justice applicants do not have independence, a requirement for the post.

“They surrendered to the chief executive who wanted Sereno ousted through a Malacañang-inspired quo warranto petition,” he added.

RELATED: Who's who: A look at the candidates for chief justice

Duterte-allied Congress

In a separate statement, Alejano said that the filing of an impeachment complaint is “the proper and legal venue to seek accountability on their (justices’) actions.”

“Despite the presence of supermajority that is allied with Duterte in the Congress, the same ones who filed and heard the impeachment complaint against (former) Chief Justice Sereno, it is our duty to be the voice of justice and fairness that were cheapened through the grant of quo warranto,” Alejano added.

Lagman, however, said that the House of Representatives "is mandated to take on any impeachment complaint."