Duterte on critics mulling to file impeachment case: Kulungin ko silang lahat

President Rodrigo Duterte on Thursday clapped back at his critics who threatened to file an impeachment case for allowing Chinese fishermen to trawl in the Philippines' exclusive economic zone (EEZ).

"I-impeach ako? Kulungin ko silang lahat. Subukan ninyo," Duterte said in an ambush interview at Malacañang.

"I-impeach mo ako? I-deliver ko kayo sa Beijing lahat. You want me not only to violate the Constitution. How can I protect the resources when there's nobody to eat it?" he said.

Former Foreign Affairs secretary Albert Del Rosario said that Duterte could be impeached for his failure to secure the Philippine territory.

Senior Associate Justice Antonio Carpio and Vice President Leni Robredo also said that allowing Chinese fishermen to stay in the country's EEZ was unconstitutional.

Section 2 of Article XII on National Economy and Patrimony states that , "The State shall protect the nation’s marine wealth in its archipelagic waters, territorial sea, and exclusive economic zone, and reserve its use and enjoyment exclusively to Filipino citizens."

Duterte said that he is protecting a far greater cause than what the provision in the Philippine 1987 Constitution covers.

"That is a provision for the thoughtless and the senseless. Protection about the economic rights, about the economic zone? resources? I am protecting the country and 110 [million] Filipinos," Duterte said.

"That piece of paper, the Constitution, would become meaningless with no spirit except desperation, agony and suffering. Kasi pagpunta mo roon how do you drive them away?" he added.

The President has previously said that he was not willing to sacrifice the lives of the state security forces in a war where they will surely die. —LDF, GMA News