“She is bad for the PHL,” Duterte says
(Eagle News)—President Rodrigo Duterte on Monday, April 9, urged Congress to fast-track its impeachment of Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno, saying she is “bad for the Philippines.”
President Duterte made the pronouncement in a speech prior to his departure for China, apparently irked that Sereno was linking him to ouster moves against her despite his denials.
Earlier, Sereno asked Duterte to explain why it was Solicitor General Jose Calida who filed the quo warranto petition seeking to have her appointment as Chief Justice nullified.
“Sinabi ko na kay Chief Justice Sereno: I’m not into the habit of maghabol ng kalaban, I have no history on that. Ikaw, Sereno, sinabi ko na sa ‘yo hindi ako nakialam, if you are insisting then count me in. Count me in and I will egg (Solicitor General Jose) Calida to do his best.”
He said he would “request Congress (to) go into the impeachment right away because the two entities can hear it simultaneously.”
“They can proceed with the quo warranto, ang quo warranto (ay nasa) Supreme Court, ang impeachment ay Congress,” he said, adding that Sereno was “bad for the Philippines.”
“Sinasabi ko na sa iyo na hindi ako nakikialam. Now sige ka, daldal nang daldal o sige, upakan kita…So I’m putting you a notice that I am now your enemy and you have to be out of the Supreme Court, I will see to it,” he added.
Sereno is also facing an impeachment complaint filed by lawyer Larry Gadon.
She has been on leave as Chief Justice since March 1.