MANILA — Members of the House of Representatives' justice panel on Thursday unanimously voted to approve the committee report junking the impeachment complaint against Supreme Court Associate Justice Marvic Leonen.

The same panel last week voted to dismiss the complaint, citing the complainant's lack of personal knowledge and authentic documents to back his allegations— both of which are key requirements for the impeachment proceedings.

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The committee report approved by the panel Thursday specified the period of Leonen's 1-year immunity from impeachment suit.

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"Referred by the Speaker, through plenary, to the Committee on Justice on May 18, 2021, the one-year bar against the filing of impeachment complaints against respondent Associate Justice Leonen starts, therefore, on May 18, 2021," it said.

Prior to signing the committee report, Justice panel chair Leyte Rep. Vicente Veloso reiterated the flaws of the complaint filed by Edwin Cordevilla, secretary-general of an organization called the Filipino League of Advocates for Good Government.

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"The committee found the impeachment complaint to be insufficient in form as the allegations therein are not supported by the personal knowledge of the complainant. Neither was it supported by any authentic records."

The impeachment complaint against Leonen was filed last Dec. 7 citing his supposed failure to act timely on cases and to file his statements of assets, liabilities and net worth (SALN).

The latter was the same basis that had led to the ouster of the late Renato Corona and Maria Lourdes Sereno as chief justice— his via impeachment and hers via quo warranto.

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