DEPUTY House Speaker Gwendolyn Garcia wants to cite two lawyers representing Supreme Court Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno in contempt for saying the impeachment hearing being conducted by the congressional committee on justice has turned into a "dog and pony show."
The House panel on Monday, November 27, issued a show cause order against Joshua Santiago and Aldwyn Salumbides, both spokespersons of the Chief Justice.
Santiago and Salumbides were quoted in a news article published on the Philippine Daily Inquirer as saying that the House panel's moves were "logically incoherent" and "legally questionable."
After reading the article aloud, Garcia moved for the House to compel both lawyers to explain before the committee why they should not be cited in contempt.
Another lawmaker moved to amend the motion.
Citing a separate article also published by the Philippine Daily Inquirer, 1-SAGIP Party-list Rep. Rodante Marcoleta said the committee should also issue a show cause order against Commission on Human Rights (CHR) Associate Commissioner Roberto Cadiz over his comments saying that the impeachment hearing is governed by "the law of jungle."
Both motions were approved without any objection.
Chairman Reynaldo Umali of the committee on justice has directed the subjects to submit within 72 hours upon receipt of the order their written explanation on why they should not be cited in contempt over their statement that casts "aspersion" to the committee. (VoxPop Philippines)
