House panel races vs clock on SC justice's impeachment case

With only 23 session days to send the case to the plenary, the justice committee at the House of Representatives will have to race against the clock to act on the impeachment case against Supreme Court Justice Mariano del Castillo, who was accused of plagiarism. Ilocos Norte Rep. Rodolfo Fariñas, vice chairperson of the committee, said the panel should again take into consideration the impeachment case against Del Castillo given the time constraints. “We should be resuming the hearing of that case soon since we are given only 60 session days to report the matter to the plenary," he said in a phone interview Monday. Last December, a group of sexual slavery victims during the Japanese occupation—more commonly known as “comfort women"—sought for the removal of Del Castillo from his post. The high court magistrate is being accused of copying portions of a case concerning the “comfort women" from works of foreign authors and professors. The impeachment case was filed despite an SC ruling in October last year clearing Del Castillo of plagiarism. The House justice panel last tackled the impeachment case last May, when majority of its members found the complaint to be sufficient in form. The impeachment proceedings were stalled after the lower chamber adjourned and took a month-long break last June. When the House resumed sessions last July, lawmakers proceeded with the two-month-long consideration of the proposed P1.816-trillion budget. Assurance Iloilo Rep. Niel Tupas Jr., House justice panel chair, meanwhile, assured his colleagues that his committee will proceed with the hearings on the Del Castillo impeachment case. He said the panel will deliberate on the substance of the case before the House goes on another month-long break on October 15. “We are still discussing the course of action on Del Castillo impeachment. Next hearing is sufficient of substance. There should be hearing on that before we take a break on October," he said in a separate phone interview. Within 23 session days, the committee will have to determine if the complaint is sufficient in substance, if it has sufficient grounds, and if there is probable cause to send the case to the House plenary. Last March, the House successfully impeached then-Ombudsman Merceditas Gutierrez for betrayal of public trust. Gutierrez resigned weeks before she was scheduled to face an impeachment trial at the Senate. - KBK, GMA News