MANILA – Malacañang on Sunday stressed the independence of the judiciary and said it did not interfere in recent rulings such as the acquittal from plunder charges of former senator Ramon Bong Revilla Jr.
“As we have said, we respect the independence of the other branches of the government and we do not – and we will never – interfere in their affairs,” Presidential Spokesman Salvador Panelo said in an emailed statement.
His statement came after Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV last week criticized the Duterte administration for zeroing in on critics while accused plunderers are set free.
“Baliktad ang hustisya sa gobyerno ni Duterte. Ang mga mandarambong ay pinalaya na. Ang mga kritiko naman ay gagawan ng kaso para pilit na maikulong,” Trillanes said on Friday.
The regional trial court in Duterte’s hometown of Davao City last week ordered Trillanes’ arrest on a libel charge, with a fixed bail of P24,000.
Meanwhile, the Sandiganbayan on Friday acquitted Revilla of plunder in connection with the multibillion-peso pork barrel fund scam.
His coa-ccused, businesswoman Janet Lim-Napoles and former chief of staff Richard Cambe, were meanwhile found guilty and sentenced to reclusion perpetua.
“Detractors and critics of the President are quick to malign the administration thinking that it has a role in decisions deliberated upon and pronounced by courts of law. For their information, we do not,” said Panelo.
“This is particularly true in graft cases, as these are prosecuted not even by us but by the Office of the Ombudsman before the Sandiganbayan,” he added.
Another vocal critic of President Rodrigo Duterte, particularly his bloody campaign against illegal drugs, Sen. Leila de Lima, has been jailed on allegations that she was involved in the illegal drug trade inside the national penitentiary during her stint as Justice secretary.
De Lima has been recognized by human rights groups such as Liberal International, who described her as a “political prisoner,” and Amnesty International Philippines, which recognized her as “the most distinguished human rights defender.”
“We in the executive branch are mere implementers of the Constitution and laws created by Congress, as well as of the interpretations or orders arising out of legal conflicts by the judiciary,” said Panelo. (GMA News)
