The request of Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno to be afforded the right to confront and cross-examine, through her counsel, the impeachment complainant Atty. Lorenzo Gadon and his witnesses is in order and consistent with the Constitution on the rights of the accused or respondent and the Rules of the House on Impeachment Proceedings.

While an impeachment proceeding is a political process, it is imbued with a judicial nature akin to a criminal prosecution.

Accordingly, Section 6 of Rule III of the pertinent impeachment rules provides that the Committee on Justice, “through the Chairperson may limit the period of examination and cross-examination”.

This rule indubitably grants the respondent the right of cross-examination and the only limitation is the authority of the Chairperson to reasonably delimit the period of such cross-examination, but not to deny the same.

EDCEL C. LAGMAN