Trillanes says Palace call for Sereno resignation ‘a sign of weak evidence’

Senator Antonio Trillanes IV INQUIRER PHOTO / GRIG C. MONTEGRANDE

Senator Antonio Trillanes IV on Tuesday said Malacañang’s call for Supreme Court (SC) Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno to resign was a “sign that there is a weak evidence” against the chief justice.

“I believe yung ganung statement is a sign of weakness ng ebidensya nila. Kung malakas ebidensya mo ituloy ang impeachment, dalhin dito sa Senado at let the senators decide,” Trillanes said in a media briefing.

(I believe that those kind of statement [shows] they have a weak evidence against her. If they really have solid evidence, proceed with the impeachment, bring it to the Senate and let the senators decide.)

On Monday, Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque called on Sereno to “consider resigning to spare the institution from any further damage.”

READ: Palace to Sereno: Resign, spare Supreme Court

Roque issued the statement after the chief justice claimed there was a “resurgence of political forces threatening and harassing the independence of the judiciary.”

But Sereno’s camp refused to heed Roque’s call.

READ: Sereno told to quit, but her camp says no way

Sereno is currently facing an impeachment complaint before House of Representatives for alleged “culpable violation of the Constitution, corruption, other high crimes and betrayal of public trust for allegedly using public funds to finance her supposed lavish lifestyle; misdeclaring her statement of assets, liabilities and net worth; falsifying court documents; and manipulating a Judicial and Bar Council list for personal and political reasons.”

Asked about Trillanes’ view on Roque’s appointment as the new Presidential spokesperson, the senator said: “He is played to be gallery para matuwa ang kanyang audience.”

“Kakilala ko sya kaibigan ko sya alam ko na hindi siya ganyan kaya I won’t attack him frontally. I will just focus on his principal pero ang word of advise ko, wag sya magsunog ng tulay mabilis lang yan si Duterte saglit lang yan, kita nyo 18 months na, so mabilis lang yan pag binalahura nya yan mabilis lang sya dyan,” Trillanes said. /jpv