Sereno ready to explain why impeach complaint must fail —spokesperson

Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno will be able to explain why the impeachment complaint against her must fail, when her turn to respond to the allegations against her comes.

Sereno's  camp spokesperson lawyer Carlo Cruz on Friday said that her office has already received a copy of the impeachment complaint from the House of Representatives panel hearing her case.

The Chief Justice has 10 days to respond to the allegations leveled against her by lawyer Lorenzo "Larry" Gadon in compliance with the directive of the House justice committee.

"In her answer, she will explain why the complaint must fail," Cruz said, adding that Sereno has always been "a staunch defender of the judiciary and our democracy, and has always exercised utmost competence, integrity, probity, and independence in her official conduct and in the performance of her functions."

Earlier, Cruz said that none of the allegations against Sereno is true, noting the complaint is unsupported by hard evidence, or relied only on newspaper clippings.

But, Gadon was able to secure documents from the high court to bolster his accusations —such as undeclared earnings in her Statement of Assets, Liabilities and Net Worth, anomalous purchase of a luxury vehicle charged to judiciary funds, and questionable administrative orders.

On September 5, the SC allowed the release to Gadon of Sereno's Personal Data Sheet when she applied for SC associate justice in 2010 and for Chief Justice in 2012.

Set for release as well is the PDS of Atty. Brenda Jay Angeles-Mendoza whose appointment as Philippine Judicial Academy (PHILJA) Chief of Office for the Philippine Mediation Center Office (PMCO) was questioned by Associate Justice Teresita Leonardo-De Castro for alleged lack of Court en banc approval.

However, Cruz said, "The public [can] rest assured that the Chief Justice remains committed to her duties at the Supreme Court, and continues to pursue the judicial reform agenda even as the impeachment process unfolds." —LBG, GMA News