President Rodrigo Duterte and Akbayan Rep. Tom Villarin (INQUIRER.net file photos)
Akbayan Rep. Tom Villarin, an opposition lawmaker, on Monday denounced President Rodrigo Duterte for “playing god’ by ordering the House of Representatitves to impeach Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno right away.
“It is indeed a day full of ironies when a President orders a co-equal branch in Congress to fast-track an impeachment against the Chief Justice whom he declares an enemy,” Villarin said in a statement. “The President is playing ‘god’ and arrogating unto himself powers over Congress and the Speaker meekly submitting to his whims.”
During Monday’s press conference in Davao City, the President, before flying to China, said he would ask Congress to fast-track the impeachment proceedings against Sereno.
“I’m putting you on notice that I’m your enemy and you have to be out of the Supreme Court,” he said of Sereno. “I will see to it. And after that, I will request Congress go to the impeachment right away.”
READ: Duterte declares war vs Sereno
Moments after the President made his statement, House Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez said he was bound to follow the order saying: “It will be done once we resume sessions.”
The Speaker also said they had a “very strong case to impeach her.”
READ: Alvarez to heed Duterte’s order to remove Sereno
Villarin found Duterte‘s action ironic, considering that Monday was the 76th celebration of Araw ng Kagitingan (Day of Valor).
“On a national day commemorating our fallen heroes who died for our country’s sovereignty and democracy, it is ironic that President Duterte flies off to China which have occupied our islands in the West Philippine Sea thus becoming our enemy while declaring that Chief Justice Sereno is his enemy,” Villarin said.
Duterte’s pronouncements, he said, “clearly manifest his totalitarian nature and abhorrence to democratic values.”
The lawmaker also said Sereno had a “valid legal argument” in asking Solicitor General Jose Calida, an alter ego of the President, to explain why he filed a quo warranto petition against her.
“As a lawyer, the President should know better than burst in a fit of rage,” Villarin said. “If he has no hand in filing the petition, the President should let Solgen Calida do the explaining in the proper forum. As the case is now heard by the Supreme Court en banc, such statement by the President is uncalled for as the matter is sub judice.”
Sereno earlier questioned why Calida initiated the quo warranto petition against her.
“Mr. President, kung sinabi mong wala kang kinalaman dito, pakipaliwanag po bakit si SolGen Calida na nagre-report sa’yo ang nagfile ng quo warranto,” Sereno said.
[Mr. President, if as you said you have no hand in this, please explain why SolGen Calida, who reports to you, filed the quo warranto.]
“Hindi niyo maitatanggi na mayroong kamay na gumalaw behind this,” Sereno added. /atm
[You can’t deny that there’s someone behind this.]