Senator Francis “Chiz” Escudero (Contributed photo)
Senator Francis “Chiz” Escudero is telling critics of President Rodrigo Duterte that the present administration is no different from the previous government regarding threats against the oppositions, pushing for the impeachment of a chief justice and sending to jail a senator.
“Hindi ba’t tulad ng ginawa ng nakaraang administrasyon, tinakot ng impeachment ang dating Ombudsman, nag-resign na lang. In-impeach and nakaupong chief justice, na-impeach. Nagpakulong ng tatlong nakaupong senador at kaniyang predecessor, wala naman nagsabing papunta tayo sa diktadurya noon,” Escudero said during the “Kapihan sa Senado” briefing on Thursday.
(Isn’t it these also happened in the previous administration: threatened the Ombudsman with an impeachment until she resigned; they impeached the sitting chief justice and he was impeached; sent to jail three sitting senators and his predecessor, but no one said we are heading toward dictatorship at the time.)
Escudero was referring to former Ombudsman Merceditas Gutierrez who resigned from her post in April 29, 2011, prior her scheduled impeachment trial at the Senate while the late Chief Justice Renato Corona was impeached on May 2012 because of his undisclosed wealth in his statements of assets, liabilities and net worth (SALN).
Former Senators Ramon “Bong” Revilla Jr., Juan Ponce Enrile, and Jinggoy Estrada were also detained during the term of former President Noynoy Aquino due to their involvement in the pork barrel scam.
READ: What’s the protocol if Enrile, Revilla, Estrada are ordered arrested?
“Sa nagsasabing papunta sa diktadurya si Pangulong Duterte dahil sa ginagawa nya kay Ombudsman at chief justice, baliktanawan natin ang ating kasaysayan,” he said.
(To those who are saying that President Rodrigo Duterte is heading toward dictatorship because of what he is doing to the Ombudsman and chief justice, let us recall our history.)
“Ngayon may impeachment process, may isang senador na napakulong. Halos parang pareho parang kinokopya yung nangyari sa ating kasaysayan na wala namang alegasyon na gaya ng binabatong alegasyon ngayon sa administrasyon,” he added.
(Now there is an impeachment process, there is a senator sent to jail. It is almost the same and just like a copy of what happened in our history except that there was no allegation before of what being hurled now in the present administration.)
The senator was referring to the ongoing impeachment complaint against Supreme Court Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno and threats of impeachment against Ombudsman Conchita Carpio Morales by Duterte.
Senator Leila De Lima, another staunch critic of the President, is also in detention at Camp Crame under the present administration.
READ: De Lima arrives at Camp Crame after arrest
Escudero also said it would be hard for the past administration’s allies to complain about these threats because they also did it before.
“Mahirap magreklamo lalo na yung mga bahagi ng nakaraang administrasyon dahil ginawa rin nila yon,” the senator said.
(It’s not proper to complain especially from those who were part of the previous administration because they have done this also.) /jpv