Duterte and Robredo have not been seen together in public since she resigned as the country’s housing czar in December last year. Her resignation came after she was barred from attending Cabinet meetings. Presidential Communications Secretary Martin Andanar had said Duterte’s order was due to “irreconcilable differences” between the two. “Maraming polisiya at pananaw na magkasalungat kaya humantong sa order..,” Andanar had said in a radio interview./ AFP PHOTO / Ted ALJIBE
(Eagle News) — President Rodrigo Duterte on Sunday welcomed the impeachment complaint filed against him on Thursday, saying “this (was) a democracy.”
“Impeachment? If that is part of my destiny, it’s my destiny to go…Wala sa akin yang impeachment, impeachment. I go by the rules of destiny,” he added during a press conference at the Davao International Airport prior to his departure for Myanmar, and later for Thailand, on official visits.
Duterte was referring to the impeachment complaint filed against him by Magdalo Rep. Gary Alejano at the House of Representatives.
In a press conference after the filing, Alejano said the complaint was for Duterte’s alleged culpable violation of the Constitution, engagement in bribery, betrayal of public trust, engagement in graft and corruption, and in other high crimes.
For these, Alejano noted, among others, Duterte’s alleged hand in the killings of criminals in Davao when he was mayor through the Davao Death Squad, and the President’s bank accounts he said contained more than P2 billion.
Asked if he believed Robredo had anything to do with the impeachment complaint filed against him, Duterte said: “I will not be surprised if she is there, or I will not speculate that she is not there.”
He noted that Robredo believed he had something to do with Nagaleaks, an online piece that talks about the Robredo dynasty in Naga, and how it has managed to survive despite political challenges, and her late husband Jesse’s alleged links to drugs and illegal gambling.
The piece titled “Deception: The Shocking Truth behind Leni and Jesse Robredo Part 1” was written reportedly by a group called We are Collective, and came out on March 3.
Robredo’s camp dismissed the piece as “attacks” that are meant to deviate one’s attention from the supposed extrajudicial killings and other pressing problems of the country.
“Ayaw niya maniwala, e di wag...,” Duterte said.
“Di ako nakikialam sa buhay niya, maam, sana wag siya makialam sa akin. Pag sa trabaho, OK lang,” he added.
‘I am beyond politics’
During the press conference, Duterte also denied he had anything to do with Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez’s announcement he would study filing an impeachment complaint against Robredo.
Alvarez’s statement came after a video of Robredo dishing out criticisms of Duterte’s drug war surfaced online.
The almost-six-minute video was shown in an event organized by a nongovernment organization that is against drug wars in general.
The event was held on the sidelines of a main United Nations event in Vienna, Austria.
“I never lifted a finger against anybody…I am beyond politics. I don’t want to tinker with her. I just want to focus on the job you have given me,” Duterte said.
He said he was bent on delivering the promises he made during his campaign.
“Listen to me. Even if it would cost me my life, my honor and the presidency. Kaya ko bitawan lahat yan,” he said.