Duterte may just send Supreme Court list of other 'narco judges'

MANILA, Philippines -- A week after apologizing to Chief Justice Ma. Lourdes Sereno for his harsh words, President Rodrigo Duterte said he may just let the Supreme Court decide whether to reveal the names of judges believed to have ties with illegal drugs.  

 

Duterte, who has launched a shame campaign against officials who are allegedly protecting drug lords, said it would be up to Sereno to respond to questions about the identities of the judges.

 

“Well, I can have a choice. I can send the list to the Supreme Court in so far as the judges are concerned,” the president said in a press conference in Pasay City on Wednesday.

 

“(It’s) fine with me. It will be up to her to decide if she is asked ‘Who are the names of the judges?’” he added.

 

Duterte has tagged more than a hundred incumbent and former local executives, policemen, soldiers and judges in the narcotics trade as part of his relentless war against illegal drugs and criminality.

 

Seven judges were part of the list of the so-called “narco officials” namely Judge Lorenda Mupas, Judge Antonio Reyes, Judge Adriano Savillo, Judge Domingo Casiple, Judge Rene Gonzales, Judge Exequil Dagala and Judge Roberto Navidad.

 

In a letter, Sereno had informed Duterte that Mupas was dismissed in 2007 for gross ignorance of the law and misconduct while Navidad was killed in 2008.

 

Gonzales, retired from the judiciary last June while Dagala and Savillo do not handle drug cases. Casiple is a judge of a court of general jurisdiction while Reyes presides over the designated drugs court in the Regional Trial Court Branch 61 in Baguio City.

 

In the same letter, Sereno reminded Duterte that a premature announcement on allegations of involvement would render the judges “veritable useless” in discharging their role.

                              

The chief justice also told judges not to surrender without any arrest warrant.

 

Sereno’s statement did not sit well with Duterte, who then warned the chief justice that he could order his officials not to honor her if she meddles with his anti-drug campaign. He also went as far as threatening to declare martial law if Sereno interfere with his war on narcotics.

 

Duterte later on apologized for his “harsh words” that he claimed were unintended but maintained that as president, it is his duty to inform the public about the country’s condition.

 

He vowed to reveal more names of officials involved in illegal drugs but did not say when.