2nd impeachment rap vs. Sereno filed, gets 25 endorsers from among solons

A second impeachment complaint on Wednesday was filed against Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno before the House of Representatives.

Lawyer Lorenzo "Larry" Gadon lodged the complaint against Sereno a little less than a month after the Volunteers Against Crime and Corruption (VACC) and the Vanguard of the Philippine Constitution, Inc. (VPCI) filed their own complaint last August 2.

In his 54-page complaint, Gadon accused Sereno of falsifying several documents of the Supreme Court, delaying action on the Petitions for Retirement Benefits of Justices and Judges, failing to disclose her Statement of Assets, Liabilities and Net Worth and manipulating the shortlist of the Judicial and Bar Council "for personal and political reasons."

Gadon also said the Chief Justice committed corruption when she used public funds to purchase a P5-million Toyota Land Cruiser, to stay in "opulent" hotels in attending local and international conferences and flying on business or first class with her staff and security, and to "flaunt her extravagance" by bringing her lawyers in her supposed foreign trips.

Gadon also accused Sereno of committing other high crimes when she obstructed justice in ordering the Muntinlupa judges not to issue a warrant of arrest against detained Senator Leila De Lima for her drug-related charges, instructing Courts of Appeals justice not to heed the House of Representatives orders in connection with the "Ilocos 6," failed to report her "extortionate" attorney's fees and pay its taxes, and "embellished" her Personal Data Sheet to overstate her credentials while applying for the judiciary.

Sereno was also accused of betrayal of public trust when she, among others, hired an Information Technology consultant with excessive salary without public bidding, sent a "misplaced" reply to President Rodrigo Duterte on the judges linked to drugs, prevented Court of Appeals justices to make a courtesy call on the President, and attacked the martial law imposition in a commencement address.

These were tantamount to culpable violation of the Constitution, corruption, other high crimes and betrayal of public trust, which are grounds for impeachment, according to Gadon.

Twenty-five congressmen have so far endorsed the impeach complaint.

These include:

•     Deputy Speaker Gwendolyn Garcia
•     Samar Representative Edgar Sarmiento
•     COOP-NATCO party-list Representative Anthony Bravo
•     LPGMA party-list Representative Arnel Ty
•     Isabela Representative Rodolfo Albano
•     Surigao Del Norte Francisco Jose Matugas II
•     Pampanga Representative Aurelio Gonzales
•     Malabon Representative Federico Sandoval
•     Davao Oriental Representative Joel Almario
•     Antipolo City Representative Romeo Acop
•     Quezon City 1st District Representative Vincent Crisologo
•     Davao City Representative Myrene Garcia-Albano
•     South Cotabato 1st Representative Pedro Acharon Jr.
•     Camiguin Representative Xavier Jesus Romualdo
•     Palawan 3rd District Representative Gil Acosta
•     Zamboanga Sibugay Representative Ann Hofer
•     Quezon City 2nd District Representative Winnie Castelo
•     South Cotabato 2nd District Representative Ferdinand Hernandez
•     PBA party-list Representative Jericho Nograles
•     Manila 3rd District Representative John Marvin "Yul Servo" Nieto
•     Surigao Del Norte 3rd District Representative Robert Ace Barbers
•     Palawan 2nd District Representative Frederick Abueg
•     Southern Leyte Representative Roger Mercado
•     Cavite 4th District Representative Jennifer Austria Barzaga
•     Davao Occidental Representative Lorna Bandigan

The impeachment complaint filed by the VACC and VPCI had no endorser yet.

Rule II, Section 2(b) of the Rules of Procedure in Impeachment Proceedings states that "[i]mpeachment shall be initiated by the filing and subsequent referral to the Committee on Justice of a verified complaint filed by any citizen upon a resolution of endorsement by any [House] Member thereof."

Sereno's predecessor, Chief Justice Renato Corona, was impeached for failing to disclose his wealth in his Statement of Assets, Liabilities and Net Worth.

Unfazed by threats

Last week, Sereno said she was unfazed by threats of impeachment.

"Alam mo, 'yan ang masarap sa malinis na konsensya. It does not affect me at all," she said.

She added no evidence would show that she has betrayed her oath of office, claiming she has served the country "with all faith and diligence."

She also refused to answer questions about whether she believed that President Rodrigo Duterte had a hand in the impeachment moves.

"You know you want chismis already. I will not give you that satisfaction. Case closed," Sereno said, eliciting laughter from the crowd of students and media in the University of San Carlos-Talamban campus.

Duterte had previously been critical of Sereno, most recently slamming her for the high court's restraining order on contraceptives. —NB/JST, GMA News