“Ignorant” Chief Justice Sereno has to go, he reiterates
(Eagle News) — President Rodrigo Duterte on Friday, April 13, said he was directing his partymates to fast-track the impeachment of Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno, and not Congress.
The President made the clarification in a speech upon his arrival from his trip to China and Hong Kong at the Davao International Airport.
“Who am I to direct the Senate? We are talking of impeachment. We are not talking about conviction,” he said.
He said Sereno should really be removed from office because she was “ignorant.”
He referred to Sereno’s pronouncement judges who were linked to the drug trade should not surrender if they did not have a warrant of arrest against them.
“Bakit ka magbigay ng salita na ganun? Kaya nagalit ako sa iyo kasi even an ordinary flunker ng law, alam yan..There are instances where the military and police and persons and civilians na walang koneksyon sa gobyerno can make a citizen’s arrest.. (when) the crime is about to be committed in the presence (of them) or is being committed or has in fact been committed and tumakbo ka, hinabol kita..Go back to your transcripts sa mga announcements mo..Talagang dapat palaisin ka noon pa..bobo ka na, pu*a** i** kung ano ano pinagsasabi mo,” an angry Duterte said.
“If you are that ignorant, you better go. Umalis ka na..Just because you’re the Chief Justice, you are not smart. Kung smart ka, matatag ka dyan. Walang lalaban sa iyo at di ka nagkakamali sa mga decisions mo,” he added.
He said the term of service of a Chief Justice until 2030 was “too long for an ignorant Chief Justice.”
“You are just risking the country into chaos..If I were you, I will resign,” he said.
The President earlier denied being behind attempts to oust Sereno from office, but only recently, Sereno hinted that this was not the case, noting that it was Solicitor General Jose Calida who filed the quo warranto petition seeking to have her appointment as Chief Justice nullified.
Under the Rules of the Supreme Court, though, the SolGen was allowed to do the same.
Sereno’s pronouncement prompted a series of tirades against her from the President, who declared her an “enemy.”
An impeachment complaint has also been filed against Sereno.