“The President can not control his allies who want to file a complaint”, Communications Assistant Secretary Ana Marie Paz Banaag said in a Palace news briefing.
Banaag said it was better for the executive branch to refrain from commenting on the impeachment process as it is the business of the legislature, but said that the filing of complaints against Sereno “was within the bounds of the law”. And of course, we stand by that the President respects the separation of power of each of our government agencies.
On Wednesday Volunteers Against Crime and Corruption Chairman Dante Jimenez and Vanguard of the Philippine Constitution Inc. “If the House of Representatives will endorse [the complaint], that is up to them”, she said. A lawyer, Lorenzo Gadon, was sent to file a second one.
Alejano’s complaint, however, did not require an endorser since it was filed by a member of the House. “She is not a dictator who can just decide on judiciary matters on her own”, the complaint read. President Eligio Mallari submitted the first complaint against Sereno to the House secretary-general.
“Atty. Gadon, or any other complainant for impeachment, should comply with his Verification for at least a substantial portion of his allegations especially those that are readily available as they are public documents or records”, Fariñas said.
Lawyer Larry Gadon also filed a separate complaint against Sereno, who allegedly committed an impeachable offense over high court’s “whimsical” and “excessive” purchase of the latest model of the Toyota Land Cruiser amounting to P5.1 million.
Ms. Sereno was appointed by former President Benigno S.C. Aquino III in 2012, two months after Renato C. Corona was ousted for betraying public trust.
Unlike his apparent silence on impeachment complaints against Ms. Sereno, Mr. Duterte previously threw his support behind Vice-President Maria Leonor “Leni” G. Robredo when she was threatened with ouster for her remarks critical of the administration’s deadly anti-illegal drug campaign.
The complaint was junked by the committee on justice.
Fariñas said that since Gadon’s complaints were based on newspaper reports, the lawyer should secure certified true copies of the Supreme Court orders or circulars that he was alleging to be part of his causes of action.