The House of Representatives finally put to rest on Wedneday, Sept. 1 the impeachment case filed against Supreme Court Associate Justice Mario Victor F. Leonen.
With 165 congressmen voting in the affirmative and one in the negative, the Lower Chamber adopted House Resolution 2068 that proposed the dismissal of the complaint filed by journalist Edwin Cordivilla against Leonen.
One House member voted in the negative while another abstained from the voting.
HR 2068 contains Committee Report 1102 that reflected the findings made by the Committee on Justice for the dismissal of the complaint.
Cordevilla accused Leonen of culpable violation of the Constitution and betrayal of public trust for allegedly failing to file on several occasions his Statement of Assets, Liabilities and Net worth and for allegedly delaying resolution of 37 SC cases and several HRET cases assigned to him.
The justice panel chaired by Leyte Rep. Vicente Veloso found the complaint insufficient in form, although some members believe that it will never stand in trial because accusations raised against Leonen were based merely on newspaper accounts.
“Offhand, the 201-page complaint, Mr. Chair, did not only comply with our Rules requirement that it should be based on personal knowledge or authentic records,” Deputy Minority Leader Carlos Isagani Zarate stated in explaining his “yes’ vote on the resolution.
“In fact, I also submit, that even a further perusal of the said complaint, will show that even as to substance, it also failed to comply with the requirements laid down by our Rules, as well as on existing jurisprudence on the matter,” stated Zarate.
Among the allegations hurled against Leonen is the delay in the resolution of cases assigned to him, including those pending with the House of Representatives Electoral Tribunal which he heads as chairman.
One of the cases involved a quo warranto case filed against Marikina City Rep. Stella Luz Quimbo by former Rep. Eugene De Vera who claimed that the former is disqualified under the law to run for congressman.
Citing the Philippine Competitions Act, De Vera said Quimbo, being a former commissioner of the Philippine Competitions Commission is barred from seeking any elected post, including as that of a barangay kagawad.
Cordevilla accused Leonen of sitting on the case.
However, in a recent resolution voted upon by the HRET showed that Leonen rejected a decision that would further delay the resolution of De Vera’s complaint.
Leonen and his two other SC associates who are members of the tribunal were out voted by their counterparts in the Lower House who decided to refer the already delayed case to the Commission on Elections.