Palace: Duterte just stating legal opinion on warrantless arrests

MANILA, Philippines — President Rodrigo Duterte was just expressing a legal opinion when he said that Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno was wrong about warrantless arrests, Malacañang said Sunday.

 

Duterte sparked debates last week after he contested Sereno’s statement that she was alarmed by the “situation of impunity” in the country where “court processes are not effected by law enforcement agencies.”

 

RELATED: Duterte says CJ Sereno 'wrong' about arrest warrants

 

Duterte claimed Sereno was promoting “anarchy” when she said individuals should not allow themselves to be arrested without a warrant. He pointed out that every Filipino could conduct a citizen’s arrest when a crime is being committed in his presence.

 

While Duterte’s supporters believe he was just fulfilling his promise to stop the drug menace, critics accused the president of acting like a dictator and of being intolerant of dissenting views.

 

Communications Secretary Martin Andanar, however, claimed that Duterte was just explaining an opinion about warrantless arrests.

 

“It was a legal opinion from the president, the same way that our chief justice also expresses her legal opinion. Both of them are lawyers. We know that the president is a former prosecutor. He is good in law and Chief Justice Sereno is also good,” he told government radio station dzRB.

 

“The president was merely expressing his views about warrantless arrests, that anyone, even if he is not a policeman, a member of the Army, or uniformed personnel, can conduct an arrest when he sees that a crime is about to be committed.”

 

Last week’s episode was not the first time Duterte disputed Sereno’s statements.

 

Earlier this month, Duterte got furious after Sereno advised judges who were in the list of officials with alleged links to illegal drugs not to surrender without an arrest warrant.

 

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, who was killed in 2008. 

 

Duterte had accused Sereno of interfering with his war on drugs and even threatened to declare martial law if she continues to meddle with the anti-narcotics crackdown.

 

Duterte later on apologized for his “harsh words,” saying he was just doing his duty to inform the public about the state of the nation. He said he might just turn over the list of judges with alleged involvement in illegal drugs to the Supreme Court.

In a related development, Malacañang is set to launch public service advertisements about the negative effects of illegal drugs.

 

Andanar said award-winning director Brillante Mendoza was behind the advertisements, the first public service announcements under the Duterte administration.

 

Mendoza, who also directed the president’s first state of the nation address, agreed to direct the advertisements for free. 

 

Andanar said two of the advertisements last for two minutes and 30 seconds while four of them last for half-a-minute.

 

“They are world-class,” he said.

 

Andanar said SM has agreed to show the advertisements in its cinemas from Sept. 1 to Dec. 30 for free. He said network giant ABS-CBN would also air the announcement without any cost.

 

Radio stations Brigada Network, Radio Mindanao Network and Manila Broadcasting Company are also supportive of the project, Andanar added.

 

Malacañang will also meet with executives of GMA 7 and TV 5 for the free airing of the anti-drug advertisement.

 

“I will also talk to (businessman and TV5 Chairman) Manny V. Pangilinan (MVP). When I talked to him last month, he expressed willingness to help our government in whatsoever capacity as long as he can. So, I’m very positive that MVP will agree,” Andanar said.