Deplorable

The Movement Against Tyranny views with alarm the blatant fishing expedition being conducted by Congress with regard to
the impeachment complaint against Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno.

Last week’s hearing where the House of Representatives committee on justice prohibited nonmembers and Sereno’s lawyers from participating in the deliberations showed the supermajority’s desperation in finding ways to follow President Duterte’s wish to have Sereno impeached.

The manner by which the President’s allies engaged in a case build-up to strengthen lawyer Lorenzo Gadon’s flimsy impeachment complaint was deplorable. Faced with the complaint’s utter lack of evidence and reliance on hearsay information, congressmen were scrambling to issue subpoenas to make up for Gadon’s incompetence.

It is apparent that the House is part of the ongoing witch-hunt against institutions, groups and personalities that serve as a check and balance on the executive. Such efforts aim to create a chilling effect on
everyone who disagrees with the President. This is another step toward dictatorship which we will resolutely oppose.

DANA BELTRAN, media liaison officer, Movement Against Tyranny, stoptyrannyph.pid@gmail.com