President Rodrigo Duterte told UN human rights expert Diego García-Sayán to “go to hell” as he does not want those who hold positions he does not recognize to interfere in any Philippine affairs.
This came after García-Sayán, U.N’s special rapporteur on the independence of judges and lawyers, expressed concern on the Supreme Court’s ouster of chief justice Maria Lourdes Sereno, saying such ruling sent a “chilling effect” to judiciary members.
He added that Duterte’s public declaration that Sereno is his enemy, just two days before the ex-chief magistrate was ousted, seemed to be “directly related” to the SC’s decisions.
Duterte, viewing García-Sayán’s remarks as an intrusion to domestic affairs, said: “(He) is not a special person and I do not recognize his rapporteur title. Tell him not to interfere with the affairs of my country. He can go to hell. Tell him.”
He insisted that he really did not have a hand over SC’s decision to oust Sereno, adding that him getting mad to Sereno was due to the latter’s constant accusation that he was behind the quo warranto case that brought her down.
DAILY NEWS ROUND UP FOR 06/ 4 /18