Palace warns against ‘fixer’ in judiciary using Duterte family name

Presidential Spokesperson Atty. Harry Roque. (TOTO LOZANO / PRESIDENTIAL PHOTO)

Malacañang on Monday warned judges and justices of a judicial fixer who is a husband of a former daughter-in-law of President Rodrigo Duterte.

“We are also warning the public, including judges and justices. Mayroon pong umiikot, ito naman po ay asawa ng isang ex-wife ng anak ng ating Presidente, ginagamit po ang pangalan ng apo ng Presidente para sa pagpi-fix ng mga kaso,” Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said in a Palace briefing.

(There is someone going around, the husband of the ex-wife of the President’s son, who is using the name of the President’s grandchild in order to fix cases.)

Roque, however, did not identify the person.

“Iisa lang naman ang current husband ng isang ex-wife ng anak ng Presidente. Siguro nakarating na ang mensahe sa kanya. Hindi iyan kinukunsinte,” he said.

(There’s only one current husband of the ex-wife of the President’s son. The message has probably reached him. That is not allowed.)

Malacanang urged the judges and justices not to entertain the fixer.

“Sa mga mahistrado po, mga judges and justices, huwag ninyo pong i-entertainin itong fixer na ito. Hindi po talaga kamag-anak iyan ni Presidente, eh kinalulungkot po mayroong kinalaman sa apo; wala po tayong magagawa diyan pero wala pong otoridad iyan na gamitin ang pangalan ng Presidente at ng apo ng Presidente,’ he said.

(To the magistrate, the judges and justices, don’t entertain this fixer. He is not related to the President but sadly related to the grandchild; we can’t do anything about that but he has no authority to use the President’s name and his grandchild.)

The Palace official urged the members of the judiciary to report to Malacañang the case-fixing activity of the fixer.

“So ang pakiusap po sa mga justices at mga judges, isumbong ninyo po sa Malacañang iyan. Huwag ninyo pong pagbigyan dahil wala pong otoridad iyan, nakakahiya man, hind naman tunay na kamag-anak ng Presidente, hindi po iyan kinukunsinte ng ating Presidente,” he said.

(So we ask the justices and the judges, report it to the Malacañang. Don’t indulge him because he has no authority, it’s shameful, he’s not really related to the President and the President does not consent to this.) /je