MANILA - Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno's impeachment defense team belittled the criminal complaint filed by lawyer Lorenzo Gadon in connection with Sereno's failure to file a statement of assets, liability and net worth from the time she was a university professor.

• Gadon files criminal case vs Sereno at DOJ

"Mayroon tayong doktrina sa batas, yung tinatawag nating immunity from suit, na nilalapat namin sa pagkakataong ito...Bagamat wala pang categorical ruling ng ating SC dito sa Pilipinas, meron na sa ibang bansa na nagsasabi na yung impeachable officers ay di maaaring kasuhan ng kasong kriminal habang sila ay nanunungkulan," said Josa Deinla, one of Sereno's spokespersons in connection with the impeachment complaint.

Gadon, whose impeachment complaint against Sereno is undergoing committee hearings at the House of Representatives, accused the chief magistrate of failing to submit her SALN for 17 years during her stint at the University of the Philippines College of Law.

For Deinla, the complaint is just the latest installment of Gadon's smear campaign.

"Makita natin dito kung ano yung tunay na layunin ni Atty. Gadon. Hindi pa siya nagkasya sa pag-file ng gawa-gawang impeachment complaint, di pa siya na-solve doon; eto nagsampa naman siya ng bagong criminal complaint kahit alam niya, inaamin niya na hindi ito aaksyunan dahil sa praktika yung mga impeachable officers ay hindi kinakasuhan ng kasong kriminal dito sa ating jurisdiction," she said.

"Bine-betray lang nito yung kaniyang desperation. Alam niya kasi na mahina talaga yung complaint niya kaya nagre-resort siya sa mga ibang forum this time, sa DOJ. Doon ay gusto niyang mapalawig yung atensyon na binibigay sa kaniya at sa kaniyang impeachment complaint"

While she maintained that it is incumbent upon the DOJ if it will issue a subpoena for Sereno, Denila believes it will not happen and neither will the case prosper.

"Unfortunately for Gadon, yung teorya niya na fina-file na ito para i-toll yung prescriptive period na sinabi hindi naman, alam naman natin yung tunay na hangarin: hindi magpanagot ng isang tao sa batas kundi ipagpatuloy yung kaniyang nasimulang panlilibak at paninira sa CJ yung sinimulan niyang smear campaign," he said.