Palace distances itself from impeachment move vs Leonen

December 7, 2020

President Rodrigo Duterte was not behind the impeachment complaint filed against Associate Justice Marvic Leonen at the House of Representatives for alleged culpable violation of the Constitution and betrayal of public trust.

"Absolutely none! He (Duterte) has nothing to do with that," said Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque in a televised press briefing when asked if Duterte has the imprimatur over move to file an impeachment complaint against Leonen, an appointee of former President Benigno Aquino III.

"We don't even know who the proponents are," he added.

Assisted by lawyer Larry Gadon, Edwin Cordevilla, secretary general of the Filipino League of Advocates for Good Government, filed an impeachment complaint against Leonen.

The magistrate allegedly lacks integrity for supposed failure to file his statement of assets, liabilities and net worth and "negligent and incompetent" for allegedly failing to resolve 37 cases in the Supreme Court within 24 months as mandated by the Constitution.

The impeachment complaint was endorsed by Ilocos Norte Rep. Angelo Barba.

Former Senator Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. and Solicitor General Jose Calida earlier filed separate motions for inhibition against Leonen in his ongoing vice presidential protest againt Vice President Leni Robredo.

The Supreme Court, sitting as the Presidential Electoral Tribunal, denied the motions.

The high Court also denied Gadon and the Office of the Solicitor General's petition to have access to Leonen's SALNs for quao warranto petition.

It could be recalled that Gadon also filed an impeachment complaint against former Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno, who was removed from office not through impeachment but through quo warranto filed by Calida in the Supreme Court. Celerina Monte/DMS