Sereno on Duterte role in impeach moves: I go by his official pronouncements

Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno on Monday said President Rodrigo Duterte's pronouncements against her say a lot about his possible role in the impeachment moves against her.

"That is, of course everybody knows what he said during those moments and the I think at one time, he thought that the Attorney Gadon's complaints regarding my extravagant lifestyle had some basis and then he kept quiet about it so let us just say that I understand that he has also asked me and the Ombudsman to resign at the same time," Sereno said in an ANC interview.

"So does he have a hand in this impeachment, well I go by his official pronouncement and I wish him success as a President but I hope he understands that checks and balances are very very important for any democracy," Sereno added.

In late September, Duterte dares Sereno and Ombudsman Conchita Carpio Morales to resign with him.

On October 4, the president said he will file impeachment complaints against Sereno over alleged corruption and Morales for her supposed "selective justice."

Early this month, newly-appointed presidential spokesperson Harry Roque called on Sereno to resign to spare the judiciary from further damage that would result from the impeachment proceedings in Congress against her.

In the interview, Sereno said she now understands that the President wants her out.

"The last statement that we had from the presidential spokesperson is that I should leave my office, so I think I  understand," she said.

Meanwhile, Sereno said she had no idea why Duterte is attacking her.

She said that she never had any personal conflict with Duterte.

"Well, we have had no personal skirmish at all. The only time I remember that he made a remark against me was in connection with the letter I wrote to him in August of 2016, requesting that due process be afforded the judges," she said.

"Basically I was really emphasizing the need to defend the institutions and to allow the institutions to conduct their own investigations of their errant members because the moment you announce the names of judges, you basically take them out of their functions," she added.

Sereno is facing an impeachment complaint filed by lawyer Larry Gadon. She is being accused of culpable violation of the Constitution, corruption, other high crimes, and betrayal of public trust.

The House justice panel has found his complaint both sufficient in form and substance and also with sufficient grounds. It has scheduled a hearing on Wednesday for the determination of probable cause and has invited Sereno to attend. —Marlly Rome Bondoc/ALG, GMA News