Lawyer Lorenzo “Larry” Gadon, who filed a complaint seeking the impeachment of Maria Lourdes Sereno, had suggested the possible participation of President Rodrigo Duterte as special prosecutor in the impeachment trial of the Chief Justice, an idea that did not sit well with the president’s chief legal counsel, Salvador Panelo.
Panelo said that Gadon’s suggestion was “pure non-sense.”
“The President is constitutionally prohibited to hold any other office during his tenure.”
He explained that regardless of the prohibition, Duterte, acting as special prosecutor is not part of his functions and duties as mandated by the Constitution.
Moreover, Panelo stressed that the House of Representatives has the exclusive power to initiate all kinds of impeachment and that the president is confident that it will be handled fairly by the House.
“As he has repeatedly said, he respects the independence of the two co-equal branches of the government and he will never interfere with their constitutional functions.”
DAILY NEWS ROUND UP FOR 10/ 09 /17