Lawmaker eyes impeachment of Sereno

MANILA, Philippines - There could be grounds to impeach Supreme Court (SC) Associate Justice Lourdes Sereno if reports are true that she failed to declare P25 million in income from being a legal consultant in the government’s arbitration case over the Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 3 (NAIA-3) in Washington and Singapore, opposition lawmakers said yesterday.

House Minority Leader Danilo Suarez and Siquijor Rep. Orlando Fua were reacting to reports that Sereno, who was appointed to the SC by President Aquino, acted as legal consultant in defending the Arroyo administration’s move to take over the NAIA-3 and was paid P25 million.

“That could be a good subject of impeachment proceedings. You just stated the ultimate facts that Sereno filed a false document or she falsified a document and that becomes the ultimate fact to be stated (in an impeachment complaint),” Fua said.

Sereno released her 2010 statement of assets, liabilities and net worth (SALN) in December last year that showed her net worth at P17.9 million.

It was not clear when the alleged consultancy payments were made to her.

She is reportedly being eyed by Aquino to replace Chief Justice Renato Corona, now under trial in the Senate for allegedly failing to file and disclose his SALNs in the past years, among other charges.

Suarez said the opposition bloc would file an impeachment complaint once they have documents and evidence to prove that Sereno failed to declare her receiving the consultancy fees.

He said justice must not be selective, especially on the matter of prosecuting officials.