A DAY after declaring Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno as an enemy who must be removed from office, President Rodrigo Duterte urged PDP-Laban partymates in the House of the Representatives to unseat the chief magistrate, MalacaƱang said Tuesday, April 10.
Duterte, chairperson of the Partido Demokratiko Pilipino-Lakas ng Bayan (PDP-Laban), asked party members in the House to vote in favor of Sereno's impeachment, Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque Jr. said.
"The President, as party chairman of PDP-Laban, called for the impeachment of Chief Justice Sereno," Roque said in a statement.
"This was directed to the House of Representatives members belonging to the PDP-Laban," he added.
On Monday, April 9, the President announced that he would now exert all efforts to kick out Sereno, after the latter sought his explanation on Solicitor General Jose Calida's move to file a quo warranto petition, which seeks to invalidate her appointment.
Duterte, piqued by Sereno's remark, said the embattled Supreme Court chief justice must be removed from office because she is "bad for the Philippines."
"If you (Sereno) are insisting (that I'm behind calls for your impeachment), then count me in. Count me in and I will egg Calida to do his best," he said in a pre-departure interview in Davao City.
"I will see to it that after that, then I will request the Congress, go into the impeachment right away, because the two entities can hear it simultaneously. Son of a b****, I said I never interfered," the President added.
Sereno is accused by lawyer Lorenzo Gadon of committing culpable violation of the Constitution, corruption, betrayal of public trust, and other high crimes.
The House justice committee on March 8 found probable cause to impeach Sereno. The articles of impeachment will be tabled for discussion by the plenary when session resumes on May 14. (SunStar Philippines)
