CHIEF Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno does not need to appear before the House of Representatives to cross-examine the witnesses in the impeachment case against her, one of her spokespersons said Tuesday. Lawyer Josa Deinla disagreed with the statement of Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez that Sereno should personally appear before the House committee on justice so she could be given the opportunity to cross-examine the witnesses against her. “Under the Constitution, the Chief Justice has the right to be defended by her lawyers as an accused,” Deinla said. She said Sereno’s legal team will insist on their motion to recognize her “constitutionally guaranteed rights” when the House committee on justice resumes the hearing on the impeachment case on Nov. 20. She warned that the impeachment proceedings in the House would be one-sided if Sereno’s lawyers were not be allowed to participate.

Source: The Standard October 31, 2017 12:56 UTC