UPDATED -- The House committee on justice, voting 33-1, approved on Monday, March 19, its committee report and the accompanying articles of impeachment against Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno.
Only Representative Jose Christopher "Kit" Belmonte voted against and objected to the motion to approve the report and articles of impeachment.
Representative Reynaldo Umali, justice committee chair, said 24 out of the 27 allegations of lawyer Lorenzo Gadon against Sereno were included in the articles of impeachment.
The three articles which were not included are: the supposed embelishment of Sereno's personal data sheet; her attack on the decision of President Rodrigo Duterte to impose martial law in Mindanao in one of her speeches; and her supposed influence in the judges' decision on the arrest order against detained Senator Leila De Lima.
The decision of the panel will be forwarded on Tuesday, March 20, to the House committee on rules for appropriate action.
Rep. Rodolfo Fariñas, rules committee chairman, earlier said he was inclined to calendar the decision of the justice committee for plenary voting only after the Supreme Court issued its decision on the quo warranto petition filed against Sereno.
The quo warranto petition, which was filed by the Office of the Solicitor General, sought to invalidate Sereno's appointment as chief justice because of her failure to file her Statement of Assets Liabilities and Networth for the years that she was working at state-run University of the Philippines.
On March 8, the committee found probable cause to impeach Sereno.
Articles of impeachment
According to the justice panel, Sereno committed culpable violation of the Constitution, betrayal of public trust, corruption and other high crimes.
Among the allegations in Gadon's complaint that landed in the articles of impeachment are Sereno's supposed culpable violation of the Constitution over her non-submission of SALNs when she applied for her position in 2012 and her failure to correctly declare her income tax returns when she represented the government in the Philippine Air Terminals Company Inc. (Piatco) case from 2004 to 2009.
During the series of probable cause hearings into Sereno's ouster, officials of the Bureau of Internal Revenue said Sereno owes the government more or less P2 million in unpaid taxes out of her income from the Piatco case.
The committee on justice also included as a ground for ousting Sereno, under the corruption allegation, the procurement of the more than P5 million worth of luxury vehicle for her use, the hiring of IT consultant Helen Macasaet without public bidding and the misuse of more or less P3 million for hotel accommodations at a posh hotel in Boracay without proper canvassing.
Further, the committee said Sereno committed an impeachable offense "when she arrogated unto herself the powers reposed upon the Supreme Court," by issuing Court resolutions without the approval of the en banc.
She was also accused of violating the Constitution and betraying public trust when she ignored prior SC rulings on the release of survivorship benefits, said the committee.
According to the committee, Sereno has also violated the principles of separation of powers among the three co-equal branches of the government when she interfered in the House investigation into the Ilocos provinces' alleged misuse of tobacco funds and ordered the Court of Appeals justices to question the show cause order against them issued by the House of Representatives before the Supreme Court.
The committee further alleged that Sereno violated the Constitution and betrayed the public trust when she disrespected the impeachment proceedings against her by the justice committee.
The committee on rules has 10 days to study and decide whether to elevate to the plenary for voting the justice committee report and articles of impeachment.
The plenary meanwhile has 60 session days to decide on Sereno's impeachment.
Strong evidence
Meanwhile, Sereno's spokesperson Josa Deinla said the Chief Justice has strong evidence to belie the allegations against her in the articles of impeachment.
Deinla said the Chief Justice "eagerly" awaits the transmittal of the articles of impeachment to the Senate.
Gadon, meanwhile, thanked the justice committee and the associate justices of the Supreme Court who participated in the previous hearings on Sereno's impeachment.
He was hopeful that the plenary will approve the report of the justice committee.
"Ako naman ay nananalig na pagdating sa plenary ito ay makakakuha ng sobra-sobra sa kinakailangan ko," Gadon said.
One-third vote of all the members of the House of Representatives is needed to oust Sereno.
Below is the result of the voting done Monday, March 19.
Voting in favor
Members:
1. Vicente "Ching" S.E. Veloso
2. Doy Leachon
3. Henry S. Oaminal
4. Strike B. Revilla
5. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo
6. Rose Marie "Baby" J. Arenas
7. Ruwell Peter S. Gonzaga
8. Xavier Jesus D. Romualdo
9. Federico S. Sandoval II
10. Makmod D. Mending Jr.
11. Romeo M. Acop
Ex-officio members:
12. Speaker Raneo "Rannie" E. Abu
13. Mayo Almario - Deputized by Deputy Speaker Eric D. Singson
14. Deputy Speaker Fredenil H. Castro
15. Elenita Milagros Ermita-Buhain - chairman, committee on accounts
16. Deputy Speaker Gwendolyn F. Garcia
17. Deputy Speaker Sharon S. Garin
18. Deputy Speaker Mylene J. Garcia-Albano
19. Deputy Speaker Linabelle Ruth R. Villarica
20. Deputy Speaker Ferdinand I. Hernandez
21. Deputy Speaker Frederick "Erick" Abueg
22. Senior Deputy Majority Leader Juan Pablo Bondoc
23. Pablo Ortega - deputized by Deputy Majority Leader Arthur R. Defensor Jr.
24. Deputy Majority Leader Vincent P. Crisologo
25. Deputy Majority Leader Aurelio "Dong" D. Gonzales
26. Deogracias Victor B. Savellano - deputized by Deputy Speaker Ann K. Hoffer
27. Bernadette Herrera-Dy - deputized by Deputy Majority Leader Arnel U. Ty
28. Deputy Majority Leader Victoria Isabel G. Noel
29. Deputy Majority Gerald Anthony Gullas
30. Assistant Minority Leader Alfredo A. Garbin Jr.
31. Assistant Minority Leader Eugene Michael B. De Vera
32. Assistant Minority Leader Anthony M. Bravo
33. Assistant Minority Leader Luis Jose Angel N. Campos Jr.
Voting Against
1. Jose Christopher Y. Belmonte
(SunStar Philippines)