Palace sees impeachment raps vs 7 justices to be dismissed due to lack of merit

August 28, 2018

Malacanang expressed confidence on Tuesday the impeachment complaint against the seven Supreme Court justices who voted for the ouster of Maria Lourdes Sereno as chief justice would be dismissed.

In a press briefing, Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said it was clear there was no merit on the impeachment complaint filed against the seven magistrates.

"That will be dismissed. The jurisprudence is clear and under our Constitution, a decision in a case under the jurisdiction of the Supreme Court is not an impeachable offense," he said.

He added that under the Constitution the Supreme Court has jurisdiction on a petition for quo warranto.

The seven justices who are now subject of impeachment complaint before the House of Representatives are among those who voted in the quo warranto petition filed against Sereno.

Four opposition lawmakers filed the impeachment complaint against now Supreme Court Chief Justice Teresita Leonardo-De Castro, and Associate Justices Diosdado Peralta, Lucas Bersamin, Andres Reyes, Francis Jardeleza, Noel Tijam and Alexander Gesmundo.

Retired Justice  Samuel Martires, who also voted to remove Sereno, was not included anymore in the complaint because he has been named as Ombudsman, replacing Conchita Carpio-Morales whose seven-year term ended in July. Celerina Monte/DMS