(Eagle News)– President Rodrigo Duterte on Monday (September 20) denied any allegations of him as the principal ouster of Senator Leila De Lima as chair of Senate Committee on Justice and Human Rights.
“I do not intervene, dwell into matters not within my…. not part of my territory. I don’t care how many hearings are there… Basta ako nakatutok ako sa aking trabaho,” Duterte said in an interview.
Senator Manny Pacquiao initiated the move to vacate the chairmanship of Senate Justice Committee– which was approved with a vote of 16-4-2– after a privilege speech of Senator Alan Peter Cayetano.
Cayetano’s speech singled out De Lima which made the latter walk out of the session hall.
In a live T.V. interview, De Lima stressed that it was Duterte who fired her.
“Wala po akong duda na may kinalaman diyan ang ating Pangulo. Imposible po walang kinalaman dito ang ating Pangulo,” she said.
De Lima was immediately replaced by Senator Richard Gordon.