House justice panel finds probable cause to impeach Sereno

March 8, 2018

The House of Representatives justice committee voted 38-2 to find probable cause to impeach  Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno on Thursday.

Dissenting were Representives Kit Belmonte  of Quezon City and Kaka Bag-ao of Dinagat Islands.

On March 14, the justice panel will vote on draft committee report and draft articles of impeachment.

“If you look at the testimonies, especially of credible ones made by (Sereno’s fellow) justices, the only thing they’re sure of is that the Chief Justice does not have a rapport with her colleagues,” said Belmonte.

In opening statement, House justice committee head Rep. Reynaldo Umali of Nueva Ecija said  after 18 hearings, the panel has enough evidence to  remove Sereno from office.

“Throughout the probable cause hearings, this committee has gathered sufficient evidence to provide us with the ammunition to prosecute this case toward victory,” he told the panel.

Deputy Speaker Raneo Abu of Batangas, an ex-officio member of the panel, said “now that the panel has chosen the rule of law by upholding the regularity and integrity of the impeachment process, she should not waste this opportunity to defend herself in the Senate Impeachment Court.”

On March 14, congressmen will approve both the committee report and the articles of impeachment which majority leader Rodolfo Fariñas said will be prepared by a “small working body” composed of committee vice chairmen.

The committee on rules chaired by Fariñas has  10 session days to include it in the order of business of the plenary which has 60 session days to dispose of an impeachment complaint. DMS