Garbin says impeachment complaint vs. Leonen not among House priorities before sine die adjournment

Ako Bicol party-list Representative Alfredo Garbin Jr. on Tuesday said the impeachment complaint against Supreme Court Associate Justice Marvic Leonen is not among the House priorities before the sine die adjournment next month.

Garbin bared that he had a meeting with House Speaker Lord Allan Velasco and Majority Leader Ferdinand Romualdez to discuss the priority measures of the chamber before adjournment on June 5.

Among those included in the priority list are the proposed Bayanihan 3, the proposal to amend the economic provisions of the 1987 Constitution, the concurrent resolution supporting President Rodrigo Duterte's amnesty proclamation, and the creation of the Philippine Virology Institute.

During the meeting, there was only a mention of Leonen's impeachment because of Velasco's ministerial duty to refer it and have it calendared in the order of business.

"As to the order of priority, wala siya doon sa in-enumerate but complying with this ministerial duty, he has to refer it to calendar for business and the Committee on Rules," Garbin said.

"Under the rules, upon calendar into the order of business, it will be referred to the Committee on Justice, 'yung Committee on Justice naman will determine whether it is sufficient in form and substance pero the Committee on Justice has within three session days to conduct or call for a hearing on the determination whether it is sufficient in form and if it is sufficient in form, ihi-hearing naman sa substance," he explained.

Garbin admitted that it is not that easy to have a hearing on the matter before the sine die adjournment as the Committee on Justice still needs to prepare for it.

"Tingin ko mukhang mahihirapan kasi tingin ko lang sa calendar of business siyempre 'yung pagpeprepare rin ng Committee on Justice... tignan natin baka siyempre pag narefer 'yan sa Committee on Justice baka meron pang opposition na magfile, so let's see," he said.

Edwin Cordevilla, secretary-general of the Filipino League of Advocates For Good Government, lodged the impeachment complaint against Leonen on December 7, 2020.

In his complaint, Cordevilla claimed that Leonen committed culpable violation of the Constitution for supposedly failing to dispose of at least 37 cases within 24 months.

He pointed out that this is in violation of Section 16, Article III of the Constitution which mandates the speedy disposition of cases.

In response to the complaint, Leonen had said Congress should not spend its time attending to "false issues" while many Filipinos are in need.

"Given the urgent and pressing needs of our people during this time of crises, we are confident that our leaders will do the right thing," Leonen said.—AOL, GMA News