25 legislators endorse complaint against Chief Justice Sereno

  MANILA – An impeachment complaint has been filed against Supreme Court Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno for allegedly failing to disclose her real net worth, purchasing a luxury car with public funds and pressuring judges to go against the administration of President Rodrigo Duterte. The complaint filed by lawyer Lorenzo Gadon was endorsed by 25 members of the Philippine Congress late Wednesday. Under the Philippine Constitution, an impeachment complaint filed by a person who is not a member of the legislature needs to be endorsed by a legislator. As of Thursday, Sereno has not issued any statement on the impeachment complaint filed against her. Gadon said he believes he has built a strong case against the Chief Justice. The complaint will be forwarded to the House justice committee, which will determine if it is sufficient in form and substance. If so, the case will be endorsed to the plenary for voting. A vote of one-third of the 293-member House of Representatives is needed to send the complaint to the Senate that will hold an impeachment trial. In the complaint, Gadon accused Sereno of culpable violation of the Constitution, betrayal of public trust, corruption and other high crimes by allegedly failing to declare P37 million in lawyer's fees in her net worth, buying a brand-new Toyota Land Cruiser worth P5 million as her personal vehicle using government money, manipulating judicial appointments and pressuring judges to defy the administration. With regard the lawyer's fee, Gadon claimed that Sereno was "untruthful" when she allegedly deliberately excluded in her initial statement of assets, liabilities and net worth (SALN) the lawyer's fees amounting to P37 million from the government as part of a team of local private lawyers in the Philippine International Air Terminals Co. (Piatco) case. In the Piatco case, the governmentwas ordered to compensate Piatco for expropriating Terminal 3 of the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) that Piatco constructed. According to Gadon, Sereno allegedly did not declare "the amounts she received from the US law firms nor the Manila International Airport Authority, for the same purpose" to avoid payment of taxes. Gadon also accused Sereno of staying in high-end hotels when attending conferences in the Philippines and abroad,and flying on business or first class together with her staff and security. He further accused Sereno of alleged obstruction of justice "by ordering judges in Muntinlupa City not to issue warrants of arrest" against opposition Sen. Leila de Lima. GAC/Expat 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