JBC members during Sereno application may face raps, impeachment —Umali

Members of the Judicial and Bar Council (JBC) in 2012 who included Maria Lourdes Sereno in the shortlist of candidates for chief justice may face charges for "dereliction of duty," a lawmaker said Sunday.

House Committee on Justice chair Reynaldo Umali, currently an ex officio member of the JBC, told Super Radyo dzBB that the council's members in 2012 may be held liable for allowing Sereno not to submit all of her Statements of Assets, Liabilities and Net Worth.

"Dereliction of duty 'yan. Isipin mo nagkagulo ang buong sambayanang Pilipino. Naging issue, na-divide ang taumbayan dahil hindi puwede daw iyong quo warranto, dapat impeachment daw," he said.

"Isipin mo nagkagulo ang sambayanang Pilipino dahil sa ginawa nila (JBC members). Lahat 'yan mga appointees, puwedeng matanggal po 'yan," he added.

The responsible JBC members may also face administrative charges, Umali said.

"Kung merong impeachable officer diyan, ay baka ma-impeach din sila," he added.

On Friday, the Supreme Court (SC), voting 8-6, granted the quo warranto petition filed against Sereno questioning the validity of her appointment in August 2012.

Umali said Senator Francis Escudero and former Iloilo representative Niel Tupas Jr. are among the ex officio members of the JBC at the time of Sereno's application.

"Dapat kumilos ang Korte Suprema dahil anyway, may supervision naman sila over JBC. Imbestigahan nila 'yan. Ano ang ginawa n'yo at pinalusot ninyo 'yan? At 'yan ba ay talagang nasa proseso lang 'yang pagpapalusot n'yo?" Umali said.

Meanwhile, Umali said the present JBC must stricter in the screening of the next chief justice following the high court's ruling against Sereno.

"Kailangan dito, higpitan ito. Hindi na puwede 'yong mga ganyang bagay na 'yan. At kapag 'yan ay isinampa na sa en banc, dapat malinaw na malinaw na lahat ng mga issues on qualifications ay dapat ipinipresenta ng executive officer ng JBC," he said. —Erwin Colcol/ALG, GMA News