President Rodrigo Duterte was only “provoked” when he ordered his allies in Congress to rush the impeachment case against Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno.

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Thus, said Senator Richard Gordon, member of the majority bloc in the Senate, when sought for comment on President Duterte’s latest statement regarding the impeachment of Sereno.

The President earlier stated that he would ask Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez to “fast-track” Sereno’s impeachment proceedings.

“President Duterte is a lawyer, he’s a prosecutor, he’s entitled to say that because na-provoked sya,” Gordon said at a weekly forum in the Senate on Wednesday.

“Pinagbibintangan sya (Duterte) na ito’y galing sa kanya. Sinabi na nga na wala naman akong kinalaman dyan bakit ba pinipilit nyo?” Gordon added.

(He is being accused that it came from him. He already said it that he has nothing to do with it so why do you still insist.)

The senator was apparently referring to Sereno’s earlier insinuations that the President might have a hand on the ouster move against her.

READ: If Duterte doesn’t know, why is ouster petitioner SolGen? – Sereno

Sereno’s remark angered Duterte as he declared war against the Chief Justice.

“I’m putting you (Sereno) on notice that I’m now your enemy and you have to be out of the Supreme Court,” the President said in a speech last Monday.

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“I will ask Speaker (Pantaleon) Alvarez now, kindly fast-track the impeachment. She is bad for the Philippines,” he said.

Asked about President Duterte’s remark, Gordon said: “No, I don’t see that’s undue interference.”

Besides, the senator said, the House is a co-equal body and they could say no to the President.

For his part, Gordon assured that when the impeachment case is transmitted to the Senate, Sereno would be judged based on “what is right and what’s wrong, and what’s legal and what’s illegal.” /jpv

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