House panel deems impeach raps vs SC justices ‘sufficient in form’
MANILA, Philippines — The House committee on justice on Tuesday found the consolidated impeachment complaint filed against Chief Justice Teresita De Castro and six other Supreme Court justices to be sufficient in form.
Twenty-one lawmakers voted in favor of the motion made by Rep. Henry Oaminal (Misamis Occidental). No one objected.
“I see that the complaints have been verified. It is therefore the position of this representation, that in my view, the complaint is sufficient in form,” justice committee vice chair Rep. Vicente Veloso (Leyte) said.
Opposition lawmakers Reps. Edcel Lagman (Albay), Gary Alejano (Magdalo party-list) and Teddy Baguilat Jr. (Ifugao) filed impeachment complaints against the seven justices who voted to oust former chief justice Maria Lourdes Sereno.
Lagman said he and other opposition solons filed the impeachment complete to hold the high court magistrates accountable for their “unconstitutional” move to grant the quo warranto petition against Sereno.
De Castro, Associate Justices 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.
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 the country’s top corruption buster.
De Castro, who officially assumed her duties as chief justice on August 28, said that she does not have time to be “distracted” by the ouster complaint.
Rep. Ron Salo (Kabayan party-list) moved for the proceeding to be suspended to give time for the committee members to read the complaints fully.
The next impeachment hearing will be held on September 11 to determine if the consolidated complaint is sufficient in substance.
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