[Trending Now] Duterte Threatens Chief Justice Sereno: 'Would you rather I declare martial law?'

With the ongoing heat between President Rodrigo Duterte and Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno, the President is threatening to declare martial law to get the judiciary out of the way of his war against drugs. 

He opened up the idea after Sereno sent him a letter regarding the judges he named in his list of drug protectors and dealers. Sereno stood her ground saying that unless a warrant of arrest is presented, the judges named are not obliged to surrender to authorities.

"Ikaw ang kingpin sa judiciary. Ako, presidente. Ako may trabaho, ikaw wala. Walang mga judges na nagpa-patrol ng daan. Walang mga sheriff ninyo na naghuhuli," the President said in a speech in Camp Evangelista in Cagayan De Oro City.

"Yan ang mabigat na problema ko... Hindi ako gago. If this continues, pigilan mo ako, o di sige... Or would you rather that I declare martial law?"

He continued by noting that the problem of the country in regards to illegal drugs have long proliferated and have caused many to suffer.

"Pinapatay ang mga Pilipino. I grieve for the so many women raped, men killed, infants raped, tapos ipitin mo ako? I have to clean."

"Do not create a crisis because I will order everyone in the Executive Department not to honor you," Duterte threatened. "There was a slaughter going on. And mind you, you were appointed by the government there in your office as Chief Justice at that time na walang ginawa ang gobyerno."

In the letter of Serreno advising the judges to not make themselves "physically accountable" until a warrant is in hand.

"To safeguard the role of the judges as the protectors of constitutional rights, I would caution them very strongly against 'surrendering' or making themselves physically accountable to any police officer in the absence of any duly-issued warrant of arrest that is pending."

Duterte blamed the inefficient justice system in regards to the lack of a warrant of arrest to all those involved in drugs. 

"I have my oath. I will honor the Constitution. I will defend the Constitution to achieve--huwag ka maghanap ng--do not create a conflict there."

"Pag dumating panahon, we go to a crossroads. You decide. Di ako sunod diyan and please, please, please, please, do not create a confrontation, a constitutional war. Talo tayo lahat," said the President.

Source: TNP , GMANetwork