(Eagle News) — Maria Lourdes Sereno’s statement that the House of Representatives “held hostage” the budget of the judiciary so she could be removed as chief magistrate “sounds cunningly crazy even from her!” House Majority Leader Rodolfo Fariñas said.
In a statement, Fariñas said in the first place, the 15 impeachment hearings against Sereno were held by the House justice committee on Nov. 22, 2017 to Feb. 27, 2018 or “long after the HOR approved the (judiciary) budget on third reading on Sept. 26, 2017.”
Below is a supposed timeline of the judiciary budget deliberations vis a vis the impeachment complaint proceedings against Sereno.
The supposed timeline was provided by Fariñas in a bid to reportedly “show (Sereno’s) propensity for falsehood”:
Judiciary Budget Deliberations
COMMITTEE LEVEL
- Aug. 7, 2017 – Committee on appropriations deliberation on judiciary’s budget
PLENARY LEVEL
- Sept. 6, 2017 – Termination of the consideration in the plenary of the budget of the judiciary with only 1 interpellator (Rep. Danilo Suarez)
(5:30 pm to 6:10 pm – 40 minutes) - Sept. 12, 2017 – Approval on 2nd reading of HB 6215 (2018 budget)
- Sept. 26, 2017 – Approval on 3rd Reading of HB 6215
Impeachment Complaint Against Former CJ Sereno
- Aug. 15, 2017 – Filing of the Impeachment Complaint of Atty. Larry Gadon
- Sept. 7, 2017 – Referral to the C/ Justice of the Impeachment Complaint
- Sept. 13, 2017 – Impeachment Complaint was found sufficient in form and substance.
- Oct 5, 2017 – Complaint was found to have sufficient grounds
- Nov 22, 2017 – Feb. 27, 2018 – 15 hearings on the determination of probable cause
- March 8, 2018 – Complaint was found to have probable cause
- March 19, 2018 – Approval of the CR 686 and House Resolution 1802 Setting Forth the Articles of Impeachment
- March 21, 2018 – Referral to the C/Rules of CR 686 re HR 1802
According to Fariñas, Sereno’s claim Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez “had ordered the suspension of the deliberations of the budget of the judiciary unless all the documents that the complainant requested from the Supreme Court would be released” was also “quadruple hearsay.”
“She is alleging that Speaker Alvarez told Fariñas who told (SC Associate Justice Diosdado) Peralta who told (SC spokesperson Theodore) Te who then told Sereno about the said crazy statement,” Fariñas said.
Fariñas also noted that the High Court resolution that allowed SC justices to testify in impeachment hearings and approved the release of documents requested by Gadon was “unanimously approved by the SC en banc.”
He said only Sereno dissented.
“I hope the media will unmask her malice in playing herself as a victim in furtherance of her desire to run for the Senate!” Fariñas said.