Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno and President Rodrigo Duterte. INQUIRER FILE PHOTOS
President Rodrigo Duterte on Wednesday said Supreme Court Chief Justice Maria Lourdes-Sereno misunderstood his statement after he publicly named “narcopoliticians,” which include seven judges allegedly linked to illegal drugs.
“Di nakuha ni Sereno gusto ko sabihin (Sereno misunderstood what I said),” Duterte said in a speech at the 1st Infantry Division in Zamboanga del Sur.
The President was referring to the statement of Sereno who cautioned judges not to surrender to police without warrants of arrest.
READ: Sereno to judges: Don’t surrender to cops sans arrest warrant
Presidential Legal Counsel Salvador Panelo said the Chief Justice “misunderstood” Duterte’s statement.
“I think CJ Sereno has misconstrued the statement as well as the announcement of President Duterte when he mentioned the list in public,” Panelo told reporters in an interview.
“I think there has been a misappreciation of the crisis as well as she misunderstood the statement of the President. The President was not ordering the arrests, or even requiring the surrender of these people involved or appears to have been involved because what he said was for them to report,” he added.
In a speech on Tuesday in Cagayan de Oro, Duterte warned Sereno to get out of his way in his war against illegal drugs.
READ: Duterte warns Sereno: Get out of my way or it’s martial law
“Would you rather that I declare martial law?” the President said.
Panelo said Sereno was “misappreciated” the extent of the drug problem in the country.
“I think also that the CJ misapreciated the magnitude of the drug problem that has risen to a crisis,” he said.
“The eminence of the danger is so apparent that the President has to move and act swiftly and out of the box,” he added.
The chief legal counsel said Duterte “can declare martial law when the public safety requires it.”
But he added, “I don’t think the President will do that. He is reminding everyone of what the Constitution says.” RAM
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