LIBERAL Party members in the Senate have recalled their statement of support for Akbayan Rep. Risa Hontiveros, calling for the resignation of Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre for plotting a case against her.
“We are recalling the statement of the minority senators on ‘Resign Aguirre’ call of Hontiveros,” said LP President Senator Francis Pangilinan two hours after releasing the “resign call.”
“There has been a misunderstanding. We apologize for the mistake,” said Pangilinan. He did not elaborate.
In an earlier statement released to the media, Pangilinan and other minority senators said Aguirre should resign for plotting against Hontiveros.
“We reiterate our call for Vitaliano Aguirre to resign from his post as Secretary of Justice. This recent development once more highlights his unethical actions as a public official,” said LP.
Last August 30, the minority senators said they called for Aguirre’s resignation due to his propensity for spreading fake information on those he tagged as “dilawan”—a euphemism for yellows, people identified with the Aquinos—for which he had to publicly apologize more than once.
“Now, he has been caught red-handed plotting against a sitting Senator during a hearing where he is supposed to be paying his utmost attention,” said LP.
The party noted that Aguirre’s actions signified a lack of competence for a man who was holding the highest office in the Department of Justice. His actions clearly violate the norms of conduct for public officials under the law, it said.
“The Filipinos deserve better than a Cabinet official who resorts to spreading lies, sowing intrigue and to name-calling. We need a Secretary of Justice who will uphold the highest standards of ethical conduct, integrity, and justice. Secretary Aguirre clearly does not fulfill these requirements,” added LP.
Aside from Pangilinan, the LP is composed of Senators Franklin Drilon, Bam Aquino and Leila de Lima.
In a privilege speech on Monday, Hontiveros said she discovered Aguirre’s plot against her through a photo taken last September 5 during a Senate public order committee hearing on the killing of 17-year old Kian delos Santos where Aguirre was one of the resource persons present.
Hontiveros presented a photo of Aguirre and claimed he violated Republic Act 6713 or the Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards for Public Officials and Employees
Aguirre was caught on camera, texting a member of the pro-administration Volunteers Against Crime and Corruption of the need to “expedite” the cases against Hontiveros.
She said an enhanced version of the photo, given to her by a spectator during the Senate session, showed Aguirre’s exchange of text message with a certain “Cong. Jing,” whom the senator later identified as former Negros Oriental representative Jacinto “Jing” Paras.
In the exchange of text messages, Aguirre allegedly told Cong. Jing to expedite their case against Hontiveros.
What’s worse, Hontiveros said, was that Aguirre was caught sending the message while the Senate probe into the death of Kian was ongoing.
“The photographer was inadvertently able to capture the text message exchange on the screen of the phone of the DOJ secretary,” Hontiveros said.
Aguirre was seen texting someone named “Cong Jing,” who turned out to be former Negros Oriental Representative Jacinto “Jing” Paras, a VACC member.
Paras’ message, as can be seen in the photo, read: “Naturuan na ni Hontiveros yung testigo Her questions are leading questions.”
Aguirre was seen typing on his phone: “’Yon nga sinasabi ko kanina dito. Very obvious. Kaya expedite natin ang cases ninyo vs her.”
Hontiveros said experts authenticated the photo but did not say who these experts are.
Reacting to Hontiveros’ call for him to resign, Aguirre complained about the release of his text message and lashed out at the senator, calling her “unethical.”
“I condemn such an act for being unethical and for being unbecoming of a public servant. That a public servant will conveniently resort to the protective mantle of a privilege speech makes it more despicable and diabolical,” Aguirre said of Hontiveros on Tuesday.
Aguirre said this violated his constitutional right to privacy, citing Section 3 (1) of Article III of the Constitution: “The privacy of communication and correspondence shall be inviolable except upon lawful order of the court, or when public safety or order requires otherwise, as prescribed by law.”
The text message cannot be used as evidence either, said Aguirre, citing the same provision.
Hontiveros said the text message proved Aguirre violated the Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards for Public Officials.
“Any act or series of acts that will emanate from such an unconstitutional and an illegal act do not even deserve a scant regard and should be treated as non-existent, and if invoked or raised by anybody should be slain at sight,” Aguirre said.
Hontiveros said Aguirre’s actions show a concerted effort to malign the opposition, citing the supposed fabricated charges aganst detained Senator Leila de Lima and the alleged foreign accounts of Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV.
She emphasized that Aguirre’s actions were “unethical” and “so unbecoming” of a government servant, as he is the head of the principal law agency of the state.
The VACC had filed an impeachment complaint against Chief Justixe Maria Lourdes Sereno. It also threatened to file an impeachment complaint against Ombudsman Conchita Carpio Morales.
The group also earlier filed drug charges aganst De Lima for her alleged involvement in the illicit drug trade inside New Bilibid Prisons when she was justice secretary.