Duterte to UN rapporteur: ‘Go to hell’
President Rodrigo Duterte slammed United Nations Special Rapporteur Diego García-Sayán for expressing concern on the ouster of former Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno, saying “he can go to hell.”
Prior to his departure to South Korea for an official visit, Duterte said García-Sayán had no right to interfere with the issues in the country.
“He is not a special person and I do not recognize his rapporteur title. Tell him not to interfere with the affairs of my country. He can go to hell,” Duterte said late Saturday night.
“Nakikialam siya (He is meddling). That’s an internal problem of the country. You should not meddle with it,” he added.
READ: Palace to UN rapporteur: Why blame Duterte? Sereno created her own problems
Duterte also insisted that he was not involved in the quo warranto petition that Solicitor General Jose Calida filed against Sereno.
The ex-chief magistrate earlier accused Duterte of involvement in her ouster, saying that the President should explain why the man who reports to him initiated the quo warranto petition.
READ: If Duterte doesn’t know, why is ouster petitioner SolGen? – Sereno
Duterte explained that it was Calida who solely filed the petition against Sereno as the solicitor general was hurt by her rejection of the proposal to bury the late President Ferdinand Marcos at the Libingan ng mga Bayani.
On Saturday, Atty. Josa Deinla, one of Sereno’s spokespersons, welcomed the remarks of García-Sayán.
“For us, this is a welcome development that a formidable force in the international community is speaking up not only for the chief justice but for the Philippine judiciary,” Deinla said. /ee
READ: Sereno camp welcomes comment of UN expert on ouster of Chief Justice
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