Bayan Secretary-General Renato Reyes (File photo by NOY MORCOSO / INQUIRER.net)
President Rodrigo Duterte’s declaration of war against Chief Justice on-leave Maria Lourdes Sereno only “exposed” his purported hand behind ouster moves against her, Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (Bayan) said on Monday.
Bayan secretary general Renato Reyes said that Duterte should be reminded that being his enemy “is not a ground for impeachment or removal from office.”
“Wala rin sa Konstitusyon ‘yun (That’s not in the Constitution). The President’s latest tirade shows this regime’s gross intolerance for differing or opposing views,” Reyes said in a statement.
“It shows contempt for a co-equal branch of government. His open call for the removal of Sereno reveals the Executive’s hand in the whole undertaking– that he can actually command Congress to remove the head of another co-equal branch,” he stressed.
READ: Duterte declares war vs Sereno
Moreover, Reyes lamented that any action that the Supreme Court (SC) would take against Sereno would now be “interpreted as the SC following the orders of the President.”
“The real enemy of judicial independence, democracy and checks and balance in government has again revealed himself,” Reyes said.
Duterte, in a press conference in Davao before flying to China for a forum, said that Sereno has “to be out of the Supreme Court.”
The President was reacting to Sereno’s statement that he might have had a hand behind the ouster plea that was filed before the SC since the petitioner was Solicitor General Jose Calida.
As Solicitor General, Calida represents the government in any suit filed against the state.
“Ikaw Sereno, sabi ko sa’yo ‘di ako nangingialam (I’m telling you, Sereno, I didn’t meddle in the impeachment case). If you’re insisting, then count me in,” Duterte said. “I’m putting you on notice that I’m your enemy.”
“P*t*ng *n* e sinabi nang ‘di ako nakikialam e. Sabihin mo sa kanya, let the world know. Talagang makialam ako. Ako nagpapasensya lang ako, babae,” he said.
(I told you I didn’t meddle. Tell her now, let the world know, I will now interfere. I’m just really patient when it comes to women.) /je
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