House invites Sereno to impeachment hearing

MANILA, Philippines — The committee on justice of the House of Representatives has invited Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno to its hearing on the impeachment case against her on Nov. 22.

The committee, chaired by Mindoro Oriental Rep. Reynaldo Umali, will determine probable cause to impeach Sereno.

It has found the complaint filed by lawyer Lorenzo Gadon sufficient in both form and substance. It has also found sufficient ground to proceed with the impeachment process against the Chief Justice.

Umali and Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez have been urging Sereno to attend the justice committee hearings so she could personally defend herself and confront witnesses.

However, her lawyers are not inclined to recommend that she show up at the hearings as some committee members could humiliate her.

Opposition lawmaker Albay Rep. Edcel Lagman said Sereno should be allowed to confront witnesses through her lawyers.

In a letter to Umali, Lagman invoked the Bill of Rights of the Constitution, which states: “In all criminal prosecutions, the accused shall be presumed innocent until the contrary is proved, and shall enjoy the right to be heard by himself and counsel… to meet the witnesses face to face…”

Lagman said the right of an accused to have a lawyer of his or her choice “will be rendered nugatory if the respondent’s counsel is denied the opportunity to cross-examine on behalf of the respondent the complainant and his witnesses.”

“Likewise, the right to counsel would be a pathetic farce if the right to cross-examine is limited to the respondent himself/herself only,” he added.

Lagman pointed out the Supreme Court, in at least two cases, guaranteed the right of a respondent or accused to cross-examine witnesses by himself or herself or his/her lawyer.

                  – With Edu Punay