CHIEF Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno is crying persecution. She is alleging that the independence of the judiciary is in peril after the House justice committee ruled that the impeachment complaint against her was sufficient in form and substance. She is claiming that she was denied due process when the committee also voted to deny her request that her battery of lawyers be allowed to participate in the proceedings for finding probable cause by refusing them the privilege of cross- examining the complainant, as well as the witnesses.