President Rodrigo Duterte did not interfere in the filing of a quo warranto petition in the Supreme Court against Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno, according to Solicitor General Jose Calida. “He does not interfere,” Calida said during Tuesday’s oral argument on the petition that he had filed. He said he never talked to Duterte or the leaders of both houses of Congress prior he filed the petition. Lawer Alex Poblador, counsel for Sereno, said granting the quo warranto petition could open the floodgates to similar cases against impeachable officials who might express dissent against the administration. But Calida said: “If we could not do something about this quo warranto, it will foster nominees to be appointed even if they are not qualified.” /atmADVERTISEMENT

Source: Philippine Daily Inquirer April 10, 2018 12:22 UTC