Ousted Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno and President Rodrigo Duterte. (File photos from Philippine Daily Inquirer)
Ousted chief justice Maria Lourdes Sereno on Thursday said it is time for President Rodrigo Duterte to resign.
Speaking at the Quo Vadis, Quo Warranto forum at the Integrated Bar of the Philippines (IBP) in Ortigas, Sereno reminded President Duterte his promise to resign if proven that he had a hand in her ouster.
She said the quo warranto petition which was granted by the Supreme Court was initiated by Solicitor General Jose Calida who is under Duterte.
INQUIRER.net has reached out to Malacañang Palace for comment on Sereno’s remark but it has yet to respond.
Sereno added that the President himself admitted last month that she is his enemy and that he wanted her out of the Supreme Court.
“Sabi niya ‘pag napatunayan na siya ang may gawa, magreresign siya. Pangulo, mag-resign ka na,” Sereno said.
(He said if it were proven that he was the one behind it, he would resign. President, resign already.)
“Ginulo niyo kami sa Supreme Court,” she added.
(You disrupted us in the Supreme Court.)
On Tuesday, President Duterte denied involvement in the ouster bid of Sereno.
He vowed to resign if anyone could prove that he was behind the removal of the chief magistrate from office.
“If there’s one congresswoman or congressman or a single justice who will say I talked to them, I can guarantee you I will resign,” the President told reporters in a press conference in Malacañang./je