Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno and President Rodrigo Duterte. (File photos from Philippine Daily Inquirer)
President Rodrigo Duterte’s tirades against Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno are an “expression of dislike” and not an affront to judicial independence, according to presidential spokesperson Harry Roque.
“The President’s rebuke of the Chief Justice must therefore be taken as a dislike of the Chief Justice and not an attack to the judiciary or an affront to judicial independence,” Roque said in a statement.
On Wednesday, a group of lawyers on Wednesday, led by the Integrated Bar of the Philippines (IBP), urged the United Nations (UN) to take “urgent action” against the tirades of Duterte against Sereno, which they viewed as detrimental to judicial independence in the Philippines.
Duterte had ealier called on Congress to fast-track the impeachment case against Sereno after he erupted in anger in response to chief magistrate’s remarks that he was behind her impeachment.
“The call to impeach the Chief Justice did not originate from the Executive,” Roque said.
He said it was instigated by her colleagues at the Supreme Court.
“Let the facts speak for themselves: Some justices of the Supreme Court appeared in the House of Representatives and testified against the Chief Justice during the Committee on Justice impeachment hearings,” Roque said.
“The Chief Justice was made to go on indefinite leave by her colleagues to protect the integrity and reputation of the court after it became clear that the CJ failed to file some of her annual SALN [statement of assets, liabilities and net work]. In addition, the SC allowed the oral arguments for the quo warranto petition,” he added.
He noted that Duterte had been “silent” on Sereno’s impeachment despite the Chief Justice’s allegations that the President was behind her inpeachment.
“The President’s statement on the CJ impeachment is thus a reaction to these accusations,” he said. /atm