(Eagle News)–The Palace on Tuesday, April 9, urged former Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno and the Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism to file charges against President Rodrigo Duterte following their ill-gotten wealth allegations against him.
“If PCIJ and Sereno believe that the increases are ill-gotten wealth they should file the appropriate charges,” Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo said.
But according to Panelo, “Sereno’s comments on the President’s wealth in relation to his (Statements of Assets, Liabilities and Net Worth) ludicrous and ironic, considering that her appointment as Chief Justice of the Supreme Court was invalidated through a quo warranto petition by reason of her non-submission of the same.”
Sereno was ousted as Chief Justice last year.
The quo warranto petition initiated by Solicitor General Jose Calida stemmed from her alleged non-failure to file her SALNs when she was a law professor at the University of the Philippines.
He added Sereno and the PCIJ should not engage in “nitpicking and using media to create intrigue and put the President and his family in a bad light.”
Duterte had slammed the PCIJ reports, saying what his family earned outside public service was not anyone’s business.
He added he had inherited money from his mother, among others.
