FIRST VISIT. President Duterte is flanked by security aides as he is accompanied by 4th Infantry Division commander Maj. Gen. Benjamin Madrigal as he arrives at Camp Evangelista yesterday afternoon. Duterte visited wounded soldiers, paid respects to a slain soldier, awarded others for their gallantry and met key military officials in the military camp yesterday. It was Duterte’s first visit here since he was elected President. (PHOTO BY NITZ ARANCON)
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By NITZ ARANCON with NICOLE MANAGBANAG
and SHIELA MAE BUTLIG
Correspondents

‘YOU must be joking.”

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President Duterte yesterday lashed out at Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno and the judiciary even as he threatened to instruct his Cabinet to defy the Supreme Court (SC), hours after it ordered Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea to submit complaint-affidavits against the four judges in the drugs watchlist of Malacañang.

Medialdea was given seven days to submit the affidavits and to furnish the judges copies.

Speaking at Camp Evangelista here last night, Duterte threatened to declare martial law if he is pressured into stopping his war on illegal drugs. “If this continues, pagpigilan mo ako, pagnagwala na, or would you rather I will declare martial law?”

Duterte said that as President, he has the responsibility to swiftly act against the illegal drug trade and other crimes, and cannot wait for arrest warrants to be issued by the courts.

He said that while crimes were taking place, it would take time before arrest warrants could be issued.

Duterte’s pronouncements came shortly after the SC ordered a fact-finding investigation into allegations of involvement of four judges in illegal drugs as disclosed by Duterte in a speech on Sunday.

The four judges named by Duterte are Judge Exequiel Dagala of Dapa-Socorro, Surigao Municipal Trial Court, Judge Adriano Savillo of Iloilo City Regional Trial Court  Branch 30, Judge Domingo Casiple of Kalibo, Aklan RTC Branch 7, and Judge Antonio Reyes of Baguio City RTC Branch 1.

SC spokesman Theodore O. Te said the SC resolved to treat the speech of Duterte as a complaint against the four incumbent judges.

“Conduct a fact-finding investigation on the alleged involvement of the four incumbent judges,” Te said of the SC resolution.

The SC ordered Executive Secretary Medialdea to submit the complaint-affidavits against the judges in one week.

The judges were also ordered to submit their answers within seven days from receipt of the complaint-affidavits.

The SC appointed retired SC Associate Justice Roberto Abad as the sole investigator, and to finish the investigation within 30 days from joinder of issues or receipt of answers and make his recommendation to the SC en banc.

Duterte said, “You’re ordering me? I will not follow.”

He added: “Do not create a crisis because I will order [my people] in the executive department not to honor you.”

Duterte said that when he read the names of people in the drug list, his intention was to make citizens know the extent of the problem on illegal drugs in the country.

He said it was not meant as an accusation. “I never accused anybody except to read [the names].”

Neither did he order any of the people in the list to surrender to authorities, he said.

“If you are a judge, report to the Supreme Court. If you are a policeman, report to Gen. Bato (National Police Director Ronald dela Rosa),” Duterte said. (with reports from pna)

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