By: Ben Rosario
Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez has officially formally launched the impeachment process against Supreme Court Chief Justice Ma. Lourdes Sereno and Commission on Elections Chairman Andres Bautista by endorsing referral to the Committee on Justice.
The move taken on three separate impeachment complaints also put an end to speculations that a creeping impeachment will be pursued against the two constitutional officials by gathering at least 98 endorsers in order to dispense with the justice panel proceedings and cause direct transmission to the Senate.
The Sereno complaints were filed separately by lawyer Lorenzo Gadon and the Volunteers Against Crime and Corruption, respectively.
The Gadon complaint was endorsed by 25 congressmen while 16 others supported the VACC complaint.
On the other hand, three congressmen endorsed the impeachment bid against Bautista that was filed by former Negros Occidental Rep. Jacinto Paras and lawyer Ferdinand Topacio.
Justice Committee chairman and Mindoro Oriental Rep. Rey Umali said Sereno and Bautista will be asked to respond to the charges against them if the complaints are found to be sufficient in form and in substance.