MANILA, Philippines – The justice committee of the House of Representatives has formally ordered Supreme Court Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno to answer the allegations in the impeachment complaint pending before the chamber.
In a letter dated September 15, Oriental Mindoro Representative Reynaldo Umali, chairman of the committee, gave Sereno 10 days to file an answer to the complaint.
“Wherefore, pursuant to Rule 5, Section III of the Rules of Procedure in Impeachment Proceedings, you are hereby notified to file an answer to the attached complaints within ten (10) days from the date of receipt of this notice, and to serve a copy of your answer to the complainants, by personal service. No motion to dismiss shall be allowed within the period to answer the complaint,” the letter said.
At a hearing on September 13, the committee found the complaint filed by lawyer Lorenzo Gadon sufficient in for and in substance, advancing the proceedings to the next level, determination of probable cause.
The complaint alleged that Sereno committed culpable violation of the Constitution, betrayal of public trust and corruption.