On Sereno, Morales impeach moves

The following is a manifesto of the Free Legal Assistance Group 7 in support of Chief Justice Ma. Lourdes Sereno And Ombudsman Conchita Carpio-Morales:

President Rodrigo R. Duterte recently announced that he would file impeachment complaints against Supreme Court Chief Justice Ma. Lourdes Sereno and Ombudsman Conchita Carpio-Morales.

The President’s threat to have the two constitutional officials impeached, demonstrates his dictatorial tendencies to cripple the independence of the Supreme Court and the Ombudsman who is tasked to investigate corruption and abuses of public officials.

The president’s ire against Sereno started last year when the Chief Justice directed the judges in the list of the president’s list of alleged drug coddlers not to report to the police because it would amount to a surrender of judicial independence.

President Duterte’s anger towards Ombudsman Conchita Carpio-Morales stems from the latter’s courage to investigate the president’s secret bank accounts allegedly in the amount of (2) Two billion pesos as claimed by Sen. Sonny Trillanes.

Indeed, as pointed out by a renowned author Timothy Snyder, “the leader who dislikes the investigators is a potential tyrant”.

The Free Legal Assistance Group (FLAG) Region 7 calls on all Filipinos most especially the lawyers to rise in unity against the sinister moves of President Duterte to undermine the independence of the judiciary and the Ombudsman with his announced plan of filing impeachment complaints against Chief Justice Ma. Lourdes Sereno and Ombudsman Conchita Carpio-Morales.--