Duterte says he won’t “countenance” impeachment vs Robredo

March 23, 2017

President Rodrigo Duterte rejected on Thursday any impeachment complaint against Vice President Leni Robredo, saying she did not commit any overt act that would warrant her ouster. "Look, you know, we just had an election. Guys, lay off. Let's stop it," Duterte said in a press conference after arriving from official visits from Myanmar and Thailand. His ally, House Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez, has threatened to file an impeachment complaint against Robredo after she came out a video message for the United Nations, crticizing Duterte's bloody war against illegal drugs. The warning also came after Magdalo Representative Gary Alejano filed the first impeachment complaint against Duterte. "You can do other things but do not tinker with the structure of government. I will not countenance it," Duterte said, stressing Robredo is an elected official. "So, why do you have to? Just because she keeps on harping on me. Let her be. This is a democracy, freedom of speech. There is no or there are no overt acts committed. The election has just finished. Why will you destroy the country?," he explained. He added he did not want to add problems to the police and the military, who have been keeping order in the country. "You know, this is a democracy. Leaders are elected. You don't have to be son of a bitch. It's the people's choice. Remember that," the president said. He also refused to comment on Robredo's message to the UN, saying he had been out of the country for four days and not been apprised yet nor read the newspapers. Meanwhile, in his speech with the Filipino community in Thailand, without naming Robredo, in jest, Duterte said she could marry him. He noted Robredo was in a hurry to remove him from office even if he was not yet one year as president. "Okay, she's single. Marry me. We're now two...I'll just whisper on you. Why are you in a hurry? Just wait," he said. Celerina Monte/DMS