Duterte ready to defy judiciary if courts 'delay' projects

MANILA, Philippines  —  President Rodrigo Duterte is ready to defy the judiciary if it delays the implementation of government projects as he warned that a constitutional crisis would ensue if he no longer recognizes the decisions of the courts.

Duterte said losing bidders and the rich are going to the courts to secure temporary restraining orders (TROs) that hamper state projects and the recovery of government properties.

He threatened to ask the policemen and the sheriff to defy the court and to follow his orders if TROs continue to prevent the government from rolling out its projects.

"I said do not wait for me. If I'm pissed off, 'di ko kayo susundin (I will defy you) Ganunin ko 'yang papel 'yan, itapon ko sa mukha mo (I will crumple that paper and throw it at your face)," the president told about 900 members of the Filipino community in Hong Kong last Saturday.

"Bastusin kita diyan sa harap ng tao (I will disrespect you in front of the people)… You delay the projects, we will appear to be powerless and our projects will not completed because of your TRO and it will appear that we did not do anything. Do not do it now because we will have a problem," he added.

"Kung sabihin ko tuloy sa pulis at sherif p***** i** huwag kayo maniwala diyan. Dito kayo sumunod sa akin (What if I tell the police and sheriff do not believe that. Follow me)."

Duterte said some losing bidders, whom he described as "animals," file charges so they could extort money from the winning bidder.

"That's business. They will join the bidding even if they know that they will lose," he added.

Duterte also raised the possibility of a constitutional crisis if the court stops the government from recovering a Makati property that he is now being controlled by owners of broadsheet The Philippine Daily Inquirer. The president has repeatedly accused the Inquirer of biased reporting but the newspaper maintained that it adheres to the highest standards of journalism.

"I'm warning the judiciary, huwag ninyong paabutin na hindi na ako maniwala sa inyo (do not reach the point when I no longer believe in you) because that would really be a constitutional crisis," Duterte said.

Duterte said the Supreme Court has ruled that state-run Philippine National Railway owns the Mile Long property in Makati but the decision was not implemented. He claimed that the property was given by former president Ferdinand Marcos to the Rufino family.

"Maybe they only paid one peso for it. Then Rufino married the owner (of Inquirer) Prieto," Duterte said.

Duterte claimed that the Inquirer owners are still collecting rent from the property even if the lease agreement has expired.

"The Supreme Court had to intervene because they do not want to let go (of the property). They keep on collecting (rent) and they do not want to turn over the property," he added.

Duterte also accused the Prietos and Rufinos of "forum shopping" in courts to stop the government from recovering the Makati property.

Martial law?

Duterte again dangled the prospect of martial law again as he warned the courts against delaying government projects.

"Gusto niyo ng... kung ayaw mo ng ganun, Martial Law, maganda nga mag-martial (You want...if you don't want that, martial law. It's good to have martial law)," the president said.

He later on clarified that he would not adopt the policy, which has been associated with the dictatorship of the Marcos administration.

"Many are saying 'Duterte will declare martial law, a dictator.' Susmaryosep (Oh my God), if you are asking me if I'm very happy being President? Am I inordinately proud of being President? I'll give you an answer. It's not something for me at this time of my life. I should not have really," Duterte said.

Duterte previously said that martial law did not do anything to improve the lives of Filipinos during the regime of Ferdinand Marcos.

The president, however, brought up the possibility of declaring it in his previous speeches.

Last August, Duterte chided Chief Justice Ma. Lourdes Sereno for supposedly meddling with his war on illegal drugs and threatened to declare martial law if she continues to interfere with the campaign.

He later on apologized to the chief magistrate for what he described as "harsh words that were unintended." Two months later, Duterte said that there were times that he was tempted to declare Martial Law because of the security issues besetting the country.

Duterte hits Lopezes, bishops

Duterte also assailed ABS-CBN for its supposedly slanted coverage of him, saying he no longer has respect for the television network.

He accused the network of not airing his political advertisement even if he already paid for air time.

"Pera-pera lang talaga 'yan, maniwala ka (It's just about money. Believe me)," Duterte said.

ABS-CBN chairman Eugenio "Gabby" Lopez III has said allegations of bias are "part and parcel of the network's work as a media institution."

Duterte also recalled the time when the Lopez group talked to him about its plan to offer Sky Cable in Davao City, where he served as mayor for more than 23 years.

He said Lopez asked him whether he was a stockholder of Sky Cable in the city and he replied in the negative.   

"Sinasali-sali niyo ang pangalan ko diyan, for protection lang 'yan (You included my name there for protection)," Duterte said.

The president said Lopez had wanted to take over Sky Cable in Davao City. He then asked the group to talk to the owners of the local cable provider.

"They said 'you are the mayor, we might encounter difficulties.' I said 'Where is your application?'" Duterte said.

He said he approved the application submitted by the Lopez group.

Duterte also badmouthed the Roman Catholic bishops who have been criticizing the spate of killings linked to his war on drugs.

He rehashed his tirades against former Novaliches bishop Teodoro Bacani, whom he accused of having two wives and three mistresses without presenting proof.

The president also described the Roman Catholic Church, the religious affiliation of more than 80 percent of Filipinos, as "stinky."

Duterte's foul-mouthed criticisms against the Church came after his officials claimed that he wants a "collegial, non-adversarial relationship" with bishops.