(Eagle News) — Speaking for the first time in public, Associate Justice Teresita de Castro said she “welcomes” the opportunity to attend the impeachment hearing held by the House justice panel on Wednesday, as this was the “proper venue” where she can “correct misinformation that has been spread many times during this period.”
“I welcome this opportunity because this will be the right time for me to explain to everyone the process we follow in deciding cases in Supreme Court,” De Castro said in her opening remarks during the resumption of the hearings on the impeachment complaint filed against Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno.
According to De Castro, although the Supreme Court en banc has not issued a formal resolution allowing her and the others to speak before the committee, she is “very well aware of the limits (she) can testify on.”
On Tuesday, the Supreme Court en banc, voting unanimously without Sereno, said invited spokespersons could attend the House panel hearings, but they could only speak of “administrative” matters.
The en banc said only De Castro was allowed to speak on “adjudicative matters” but only in relation to three cases: the temporary restraining order allegedly tampered with by Sereno, the case of now-Associate Justice Francis Jardeleza, and the clustering of the Judicial and Bar Council.