ALBAY Representative Edcel Lagman on Wednesday, September 26, sent a letter to the House justice committee to challenge its decision to dismiss the consolidated impeachment complaints against Chief Justice Teresita Leonardo-De Castro and six other associate justices.
The justice panel approved on Tuesday, September 25, by a vote of 22-0, its committee report that explains why it dismissed the impeachment complaints filed against Leonardo-De Castro and Associate Justices Diosdado Peralta, Lucas Bersamin, Francis Jardaleza, Noel Tijam, Andres Reyes Jr. and Alexander Gesmundo.
But Lagman, in his letter Wednesday, said that pursuant to Rule III Section 8 of the House Rules on impeachment, an absolute majority of the members of the committee on justice or at least 35 lawmakers will have to vote for the approval of the committee report for it to be valid.
“The aforesaid recorded 22 votes did not constitute an absolute majority of 35 votes out of a total of 68 members, 34 regular members and 34 ex-officio members,” Lagman said.
“Considering the foregoing, the seven consolidated impeachment complaints are deemed sufficient in substance and the next phase of the proceedings, which is the determination of probable cause or grounds of impeachment, should be calendared by the honorable committee,” he added.
Justice committee chair Representative Salvador Leachon, in a text message, said Lagman is just misinformed.
“Our total membership is 33 and not 68 as he claimed,” Leachon said.
“So absolute majority is 17 and since the votes approving the committee report was 22, the proceedings adopting the report was perfectly legal and binding,” he added.
The impeachment complaints stated that the seven justices should be ousted for removing former Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno from her post through a quo warranto petition despite their knowledge that she can only be ousted through an impeachment.
The complaints also stated as another ground for impeachment the justices' refusal to recuse themselves in deciding the case against Sereno despite their alleged biases as claimed by the complainants.
Aside from Lagman, the complainants also include Magdalo Representative Gary Alejano and Ifugao Representative Teddy Baguilat. (SunStar Philippines)