MANILA, Philippines – The chairperson of the House justice committee gave lawyer Lorenzo Gadon the dressing down for failing to achieve satisfactory substantiation a number of his allegations against Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno, whom he was seeking to impeach.
“Iyon ang inaangal ng mga kasamahan namin dito, na ginagawa mo kaming imbestigador mo, eh hindi ganun iyon … Por dyos por santo, gawin mo rin ang trabaho mo (This is what our colleagues are having misgivings over – that you are making us your investigator … By God, you should do your job),” Oriental Mindoro Representative Reynaldo Umali told Gadon on Monday’s impeachment hearing.
Siquijor Rep. Rav Rocamora also said Gadon should have come prepared with affidavits of persons who would testify on the allegations against Sereno, so that the committee would know whom to invite to the hearing as witnesses.
At the hearing, Gadon mentioned several possible resource persons who can beef up his claims against the Chief Justice. He said it was the justice committee who has the power to call the witnesses and appear before the panel.
In his complaint, Gadon alleged a total of 27 impeachable acts against Sereno, falling under four grounds: Culpable violation of the Constitution; betrayal of public trust; graft and corruption; and other high crimes.
On the act constituting corruption, the committee tackled Gadon’s charge that Sereno used public funds to finance her “extravagant and lavish lifestyle by ordering the purchase of a brand-new luxurious Toyota Land Cruiser 2017 model as her personal vehicle, amounting to more than Five Million Pesos.”
Antipolo Representative Romeo Acop pointed out that under Section 3.1 of the Department of Budget and Management Administrative Order No. 233, the purchase of a service vehicle “for security reasons and purposes … for the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court” is allowed as an exception. The President, Senate President and Speaker of the House are also covered by the exception.
Acop said that, based on the administrative order, Sereno did not violate any law, “unless there is irregularity in the bidding of this vehicle,” he asked Gadon.
“Yes, your honor,” Gadon replied, stressing that during the bidding, the make, model and other details were already specified. Majority Leader Rodolfo Fariñas echoed that this was, indeed, a violation of the law.
The committee will resume the impeachment hearing on Tuesday.
