Leila de Lima invokes mandate to sit in impeachment court

MANILA, Philippines — Detained Sen. Leila de Lima yesterday thanked Senate President Aquilino Pimentel III for acknowledging that she can participate in the impeachment trial of Chief Justice Ma. Lourdes Sereno and cast her vote at its conclusion if she is able to secure a furlough from the courts.

De Lima said in a statement issued from the Philippine National Police Custodial Center in Camp Crame that “as a sitting senator, I am mandated under the Constitution to take part in such proceedings of grave importance,” adding that her lawyers will, in due time, file the appropriate motion with the courts.

Meanwhile, De Lima’s colleagues in the Liberal Party (LP) yesterday aired their concern about how the independence of the judiciary is being weakened in the current moves to remove Sereno from her post.

In a statement, the opposition LP said the “slow weakening of judicial independence and dilution of check-and-balance that endangers democracy and ushers in the rule of autocracy” are now emerging.

Senate Minority Leader Franklin Drilon, vice chairman of the LP, said the efforts being taken to remove Sereno by invalidating her appointment, would not prosper based on the provisions of the Constitution.

Allies of the administration are pushing for the nullification of Sereno’s appointment on the grounds that she allegedly failed her psychiatric examination and that she did not submit her statements of assets, liabilities and net worth.

If these are to be used against Sereno, Drilon said these would appropriately fall under the impeachment process on the ground of violation of public trust.

Opposition Rep. Edcel Lagman agreed with Drilon, saying the petition filed by Marcos-loyalist lawyer Oliver Lozano asking the Supreme Court to oust the Chief Justice because her appointment was supposedly invalid “is doomed to fail.”

“This is so not only because her appointment is valid and legal, but the action for quo warranto has long prescribed,” Lagman said.

Another opposition lawmaker, Rep. Tom Villarin of Akbayan, said colleagues of the Chief Justice have preempted the House of Representatives and “impeached” her by forcing her to go on an indefinite leave.

“CJ Sereno is not perfect, but her imperfections are not impeachable,” Villarin said. 

The Integrated Bar of the Philippines has called on Sereno’s critics and SC justices aspiring to replace her not to resort to shortcuts and to respect the constitutional process of impeachment.

As this developed, Philippine Council of Evangelical Churches national director Noel Pantoja yesterday said they believe in the innocence of Sereno and urged PCEC members to join the “Martsa ng Bayan, CJ Ipaglaban” show of support at the House on Tuesday, when the committee on justice is expected to vote on her impeachment.

If probable cause is found, the lawmakers will transmit the Articles of Impeachment to the Senate and mark the start of Sereno’s trial. If she is found guilty of any of the articles, she would be removed from her post. – With Jess Diaz, Evelyn Macairan