PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte could not be impeached on the grounds of accusations hurdled against him by former Davao policeman Arturo Lascañas, a Palace official said Wednesday.
Chief Presidential Legal Counsel Salvador Panelo said the President's impeachment was merely a "wishful thinking" of Senator Antonio Trillanes IV, known critic of the Chief Executive.
"He's hallucinating. Maybe that is his wishful thinking," Panelo said in a chance interview.
Trillanes said in a recent television interview that Lascañas' testimony against Duterte could be an eye opener to the Filipino people, who have been blinded by the President's promises.
Lascañas had tagged Duterte, a longtime former Davao City mayor, as the founder of the vigilante group Davao Death Squad. He had claimed that Duterte ordered the rampant killings in Davao and paid the death squad up to P100,000, depending on the person it killed.
The former Davao policeman had also alleged that Duterte ordered the assassination of Trillanes by making it appear as road accident. Panelo, however, said it is "incredible" for the Chief Executive to issue such instruction.
"Incredible. All the things that he (Lascañas) said are lies," Panelo said.
Trillanes had admitted that it would be difficult to oust Duterte but said he could be impeached as early as May this year, if the people realize the unlawful acts the latter had committed.
But Panelo remained confident that the sinister plot to remove Duterte from office will not flourish because he has the support of the majority of the Filipino people and that he has been doing a "great job."
"Even if there is a threat or destabilization, which of course the military and the police have denied, it will not succeed anyway. Why? The President has overwhelming support on the Filipino people," Panelo said.
"He has been doing good, great job. Criminality has been reduced. The pushers are like scared cocks, running away from the scene of their crimes. Economy is moving," he added. (SunStar Philippines)