QUEZON CITY, Philippines (Eagle News) — The leadership of the House of Representatives will no longer compel Supreme Court Chief Justice Ma. Lourdes Sereno to attend the impeachment hearing against her.
Speaker of the House Pantaleon Alvarez and House Majority Leader Rudolfo Fariñas said that CJ Sereno already submitted a general denial regarding the allegations against her and that the Impeachment Committee can still call and invite other resource persons.
“Under our rules, even the respondent, the Chief Justice, kung ayaw niyang sumagot hindi mo naman siya pwedeng pilitin to submit and answer. But if she doesn’t submit an answer, under our Rules, it is tantamount to a general denial of all the allegations,” he said.
“But she submitted an answer, now if we want to question here, sabi naman ni Speaker pwedeng respeto na lang ‘yun, respondent naman siya. Hindi na namin kailangang pilitin para hindi na umabot duon sa ganun,” he added. (with a report from Eden Suarez-Santos, Eagle News Service)