SENATOR Leila De Lima said Tuesday that it is about time that the Filipino people realize that President Rodrigo Duterte is not fit to hold the highest position in the land as he is a "criminal and a serial killer."
In a press conference, De Lima said Duterte is using his power against people who refuse to obey and support him in his "extrajudicial habit of killing people."
De Lima said it is very sad to note that Duterte was able to get away with his "killing spree" in Davao City and is now implementing the deed in the whole country.
According to De Lima, the recent pronouncement of SPO3 Arthur Lascañas on Duterte's hand in the Davao Death Squad (DDS) "is very disturbing."
Palace reacts on De Lima's 'colorful language'
In a related development, Malacañang has shrugged off the appeal of De Lima to the Cabinet to declare Duterte as "incapable of performing his functions" as the country’s highest elected official.
Sought for his reaction on De Lima's call, Presidential Spokesperson Ernesto Abella told reporters in a scornful manner, "Seriously?"
De Lima, in a press conference, accused Duterte of being "physically and mentally" incapable to hold the highest position in the land.
She then called on the Cabinet members to declare Duterte as incompetent to fulfill his duty to serve the Filipino people.
"Why don’t they disclose the real state of health, physical health of the President? Then, these disclosures, this foes into the mental health of the President that you have a President with a criminal mind," the senator said.
"There is a Constitutional provision under Article 7 of the 1987 Constitution that by a majority of the Cabinet, they can actually make a declaration that the President is incapable of performing his functions," she added.
De Lima said that the President is a "psychopathic serial killer and mass murderer," enough grounds to impeach him.
"There's a revelation that he (Duterte) is a psychopathic serial killer, mass murderer. Is this covered of presidential immunity? I don't think so," De Lima said.
"This can certainly be a basis for impeachment," she added.
Abella, however, dismissed the senator's claim on Duterte as a mere "colorful language.” (SunStar Philippines)