Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno and President Rodrigo Duterte. (File photos from Philippine Daily Inquirer)
President Rodrigo Duterte denied Tuesday he was referring to Supreme Court Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno when he聽slammed a government official who had allegedly been enjoying a lavish lifestyle by traveling abroad.
鈥淪i Justice Sereno made insinuations that siya 鈥檡ung itinuturo ko. Actually, none of the above鈥� Generic 鈥檡un,鈥� Duterte said in a speech in Malaca帽ang.
鈥淚 rely on documents that are given to us here in the Palace鈥� I do not put a premium of truth in it actually. But that is something that is transmitted to us officially,鈥� he added.
Duterte said he was obliged to make the issue public.
鈥淚f that is the situation, I have to make it public,鈥� he said. 鈥淚 cannot make it a secret because the people will say: 鈥業pinaalam namin 鈥檡an, wala namang ginawa鈥�,鈥� he said.
On Aug. 22, the President revealed that a government official, s not from the executive branch, was allegedly enjoying an expensive lifestyle abroad.
鈥淢ay isang opisyal tayo dito sa gobyerno na tinignan namin ang travel. Hindi sa departamento ko, not the executive department. Kung mag-sakay ng eroplano, mag-abroad, first class, tapos 鈥檡ung mga hotel niya, 鈥檡ung mga suite. May isang presidential suite pa ang kinuha. P****. This will come out,鈥� he said in a speech in Malaca帽ang.
Sereno has already said she didn鈥檛 feel alluded to by Duterte鈥檚 allegations.
The chief justice has earned the ire of the President for her remarks on the government鈥檚 war on drugs and the Reproductive Health Law. /atm