Fariñas: House should wait for SC ruling on Sereno quo warranto case

House Majority Rodolfo Fariñas on Tuesday said the House of Representatives should wait for the Supreme Court (SC) to rule on the quo warranto petition against Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno before voting on the impeachment complaint.

Fariñas said if the SC decides to grant the petition filed by Solicitor General Jose Calida, it will only take the high court one month to decide on the case.

"This will be of utmost importance by the Supreme Court that will be resolved in a month’s time," he said.

Fariñas, chairman of the House Committee on Rules, said there is a "serious challenge on the legitimacy of the officer in question" and he would rather wait for the SC's decision instead of pushing through with the impeachment proceedings at the House of Representatives.

Calida is challenging Sereno's appointment due to her alleged failure to submit all of her Statements of Assets, Liabilities and Net Worth during her application for the post in 2012.

He said this violates the eligibility requirement of integrity for the position of Chief Justice.

The House Committee on Justice is scheduled to vote on Thursday whether the impeachment complaint filed by lawyer Larry Gadon against Sereno has probable case.

Fariñas said if the panel finds probable cause in the complaint, it will be transmitted to his committee. He said it will take 10 session days to include it in the order of business.

Given that Congress will adjourn session for the Lenten break, he said plenary voting on the complaint may take place later in May. The Senate will convene as an impeachment court if the House members vote to impeachment Sereno.

"So granting na isasama ko sa order of business 'yan, pagbalik na namin ng May 14. 'Pag masama man sa order of business 'yan, plenary has 60 session days also. So plenary has until October 31," Fariñas said.

If the House justice panel finds probable cause on the impeachment complaint, the committee report and resolution submitted to the plenary must be approved by at least one-third of all members of the House of Representatives before articles of Impeachment will then be submitted to the Senate, acting as impeachment court.

It took the Senate four months to hear the allegations against the late Chief Justice Renato Corona. The Senate eventually found Corona guilty.

Sereno is currently on an indefinitely leave. She said she went on leave to prepare for the Senate trial. —ALG, GMA News