MANILA, Philippines – Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno urged the public on Thursday, August 25, not to blame the judiciary if other agencies fail to pursue cases involving illegal drugs.

In her annual meeting with the press, Sereno cited the release of a high-profile drug suspect “who is also a military official.”

She said the raid against this suspect received “wide and high-profile media coverage.”

Despite the media attention, Sereno said, “No case was filed against that drug suspect, so a judge was forced to release him principally because there was no longer any legal basis to continue holding him in detention.”

Sereno did not name this military official.

“We request therefore that judiciary not be blamed when other agencies fail to either file the appropriate charges or present sufficient evidence against drug suspects,” she said. 

Sereno earlier expressed concern over Duterte’s list of judges, local government officials, policemen, and soldiers allegedly involved in illegal drugs.

Duterte responded by threatening to declare martial law, as he refused to be “ordered around” by the Supreme Court.

The President eventually apologized to the Chief Justice for his “harsh words.”

Nearly 2,000 people have been killed since Duterte was sworn into office on June 30 and immediately launched his war on crime, according to the national police chief.

Duterte has insisted most of the 756 people confirmed killed by police were drug suspects who resisted arrest, while the others died due to gang members waging warfare against each other. – with reports from Agence France-Presse/Rappler.com