Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez today dismissed the allegations hurled against him by the group Filipino Alliance for Transparency and Empowerment (FATE) as part of a hatchet job in a bid to divert public attention from the substance of the accusations raised against Chief Justice Ma. Lourdes Sereno in the impeachment case against her.
In a radio interview, Alvarez dismissed as baseless FATE’s allegations that the House hearings on Sereno’s impeachment could be railroaded. Such allegation, according to Alvarez, betrays the weakness of Sereno’s evidence in her defense.
“Yung ginagawa nila, doon mo mahahalata na mahina yung ebidensiya. Unang-una yung FATE na iyan, ngayon lang sumulpot iyan, parang kabute iyan na itinayo lang para nga dito sa impeachment hearing ni Sereno. At kapag ganyan, iyan ay trabaho din ng PR, pilit nililihis yung usapin,” Alvarez said.
He pointed out that this was the same PR tactic employed against him and the House of Representatives when they investigated the P6.4 billion shabu smuggling though the Bureau of Customs but eventually the truth came out.
Alvarez also laughed off the claim of FATE that the House is controlling the impeachment hearings because he has an ax to grind against Sereno for allegedly testifying against him in the Philippine International Air Terminals Co. Inc. (PIATCO) case.
He noted that all the cases against him related to the PIATCO case were all dismissed and that Sereno did not testify against him as FATE alleged.
“Nadismiss na po lahat ng kaso. In fact, hindi po totoo na nagtestigo laban sa akin iyan,” Alvarez said.
Alvarez said that aside from the allegations against Sereno’s income derived as member of the government’s counsel, the PIATCO case has nothing to do with the impeachment case against her.
“Ang laki ng kinita nila doon sa kasong iyon, pinagkakitaan nila yung gobyerno doon. Ako naman wala naman akong kinita doon, hindi ko naman pinagkakitaan yung gobyerno. At saka bakit natin ilalabas iyan na wala namang kinalaman dito iyan?”Alvarez said.
Among others, Sereno was charged by complainant Atty. Larry Gadon for failing to declare the estimated US$745,000 or P37 million she earned as a private lawyer from the PIATCO case in any of her Statement of Assets, Liabilities and Net Worth (SALN) from 2010 until 2016.
Alvarez also pointed out that as Speaker of the House he is duty-bound to comply with the constitutional mandate to refer impeachment cases to the House Committee on Justice.
“Unang-una hindi naman ako ang nag-file ng complaint, hindi ba? Nagkataon lang na ako ay Speaker ngayon, at hindi ko naman po pupuwedeng idismiss yun, yung reklamong impeachment laban sa kanya. Ito ay dadaan talaga sa proseso, doon sa House of Representatives kung saan magkakaroon ng pagdinig doon sa Committee on Justice,” Alvarez explained.
He pointed out that if he really wanted Sereno impeached, he could muster enough number to get the required 1/3 vote of the House and immediately bring the case to trial at the Senate.
Instead, Alvarez said he had repeatedly emphasized that the House Committee on Justice must conduct a thorough and careful scrutiny of the evidence submitted against Sereno to determine if there is enough basis to warrant her impeachment.
“Mapapatunayan natin kung talagang may basehan yung reklamo, mayroon ba tayong sapat na ebidensiya para nga ituloy at i-prosecute siya doon sa impeachment court? Kasi paulit-ulit kong sinabi na kaya natin ginagawa itong hearing sa House of Representatives upang sa ganoon ay matiyak natin kung talagang mayroon tayong ebidensya kasi kami yung magpo-prosecute sa impeachment court,” Alvarez said.
Contrary to FATE’s allegation, Alvarez said, the House is in fact giving Sereno the opportunity to air her side in the impeachment case against her.
“Talagang bibigyan natin sila ng pagkakataon, si Sereno na dumalo doon sa House of Representatives sa Committee on Justice. Ngayon, kung hindi siya pupunta doon, wala kaming magagawa dahil yun ang pagkakataon na puwede niyang komprontahin yung mga nag-akusa sa kanya at saka yung mga testigo.”
Sereno’s lawyers earlier asked the House committee on justice to allow them to cross-examine the witnesses against the Chief Justice on behalf of Sereno. However, Alvarez said it should be Sereno who should conduct the cross examination.
Alvarez said the House committee on justice will resume its hearings on the Sereno impeachment case when Congress resumes session on November 13.
Last October 5, the Justice committee declared that there are sufficient grounds alleged in the complaint to impeach Sereno. The next committee hearings will focus on whether or not there is probable cause to pursue her impeachment. (CONGRESS-PR)
