Department of Justice (DOJ) Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre is testifying against Supreme Court (SC) Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno.
This is at the impeachment hearing today of the Committee on Justice in the House of Representatives.
Aguirre is appearing before the proceeding after complainant Attorney Larry Gadon cited the Justice secretary's experience in the way Sereno responded to his urgent requests.
Gadon believes this was one instance when the chief magistrate committed culpable violation of the Constitution.
In his testimony, Aguirre charged the Sereno delayed the high tribunal's action on his request that the rebellion and other criminal complaints against Maute terrorists and sympathizers be transferred from Mindanao to courts in Taguig City.
He said he made the request last May 29, 2017.
This was because the prosecutors in Mindanao feared for their safety and that the Philippine Army's Camp Evangelista in Cagayan de Oro City would not be able to house in its detention facility all the arrested Maute terrorists.
The SC en banc granted the request on June 27, 2017 but it was only made public on July 18, 2017.
Aguirre said this was detrimental to the prosecutorial service.
He said Sereno had wanted the cases to be heard in Cagayan de Oro, instead of Taguig.
He noted that the delay must have been due to the fact that Sereno could not get the vote of the majority.
In her previous statement, Sereno had explained that bringing the cases in Metro Manila might have substantial effect on the economy and public safety.
