Justice panel chair: Arroyo had right to attend hearing on impeach raps vs. SC justices

House Committee on Justice chair Salvador Leachon on Tuesday denied Albay Representative Edcel Lagman's claim that Speaker Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo's presence at his panel's hearing prompted the dismissal of the impeachment complaints against Chief Justice Teresita De Castro and six other Supreme Court justices.

"Not at all," Leachon said.

In a press conference, Lagman said that he and his fellow complainants saw "the writing on the wall" when Arroyo showed up at the impeachment deliberations.

"Her presence would be really implied go signal to junk the complaints as all of the members present, both majority and minority, except for Representative [Ramon] Rocamora, decided or voted to jettison the complaints," Lagman said.

"Kung walang signal, posibleng hindi na siya pumunta doon," he added.

But Leachon said Arroyo was notified to attend the hearing as an ex-officio member of the panel, just like any other member of the committee.

"It's her right to be there as Speaker of the House," he said.

LOOK: Speaker Arroyo attends the resumption of the House justice panel deliberations on the impeachment raps vs. CJ De Castro, six other SC justices. @gmanews pic.twitter.com/nkotp930Rm

— Erwin Colcol (@erwincolcol) September 11, 2018

At the same time, Leachon said Arroyo has also been attending other committee hearings, not only that of the House justice panel.

"So her attendance this morning at the impeachment proceeding must not be singled out to that effect," he said.

De Castro, along with Supreme Court Associate Justices Diosdado Peralta, Lucas Bersamin, Andres Reyes, Francis Jardeleza, Noel Tijam and Alexander Gesmundo faced charges of culpable violation of the Constitution and betrayal of public trust over the role in the ouster of former Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno through a quo warranto petition.

But with a vote of 1-23, the House Committee on Justice found the impeachment complaints filed against the justices insufficient in substance, rendering them dismissed.

Lagman has asked the House panel if he could file a motion for reconsideration urging a review of the decision to dismiss the complaints.

But Leachon told him that he cannot make such motion as he is not a member of the committee. — BM, GMA News