House to tackle Leonen impeachment next week

MANILA, Philippines — The House of Representatives is set to tackle the impeachment complaint against Supreme Court Associate Justice Marvic Leonen once sessions resume next week.

Speaker Lord Allan Velasco assured the public there will be a fair resolution of the case by the House committee on justice chaired by Leyte Rep. Vicente Veloso III.

“Definitely with chairman Veloso at the helm of the committee on justice, we’re certain that there will be a fair trial regarding that impeachment complaint,” Velasco said in an interview with House reporters via Zoom.

The Marinduque congressman said the impeachment complaint, which his office forwarded to the House rules committee before their two-month break, would be read in the plenary session next week.

“The rules committee will have three days from the start of the session to refer it to the committee on justice under chairman Veloso,” Velasco said, citing House rules.

Under the same rules, the Office of the Speaker only has 10 session days to refer an impeachment complaint to the justice committee.

The complaint was filed by lawyer Larry Gadon for his client Edwin Cordevilla and endorsed by Ilocos Norte Rep. Angelo Marcos Barba on Dec. 7 last year. House leaders earlier explained that the prescription period has not lapsed yet.

They explained that a session day is completed only when the plenary adjourns. But since the start of the second regular session in July last year, the chamber would only suspend plenary sessions and resume on the following session.

In Cordevilla’s complaint, Leonen is accused of failing to file his statement of assets, liabilities and net worth, and delaying the resolution of cases, including the ones pending before the House of Representatives Electoral Tribunal, where he serves as chairperson.

The magistrate denied the charges and said he believes the issues raised in the complaint were for “personal or vindicative reasons.”

Leonen penned the ruling of the SC, sitting as Presidential Electoral Tribunal, that junked the election protest against Vice President Leni Robredo filed by her rival, former senator Ferdinand Marcos Jr.