JUSTICE Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II on Monday revealed what he described as a plot to oust him from the Department of Justice by people interested in his post.
However, Aguirre stressed those behind moves to oust him were unsuccessful because President Rodrigo Duterte still has trust on him.
“Some people really want to grab my position but they’re having a hard time because I still have the full support and confidence of the President,” Aguirre said in an interview.
The Justice secretary admitted he already knows who the people were behind such plot, but he declined to identify them. But Aguirre hinted the group included people from both the government and private sector.
“They really want me out because they are losing a lot of money because of our actions here,” Aguirre stressed.
Rumors last weekend had it that Aguirre could be replaced by President Duterte following the P50-million extortion scandal in the Bureau of Immigration, which is under his administrative supervision.
Aguirre earlier said he would step down from his post if he felt he had lost the trust and confidence of the President over the controversy involving the illegal casino operations of Chinese gaming mogul Jack Lam in Clark Field, Pampanga.
However, Aguirre immediately clarified he believed he had not done any wrong in handling Lam’s issue.
It was Aguirre who led the raid on Lam’s illegal casino in Fontana Leisure Resort where 1,316 Chinese nationals were arrested last November 24.
He was also the one who exposed the attempt of Lam’s camp to bribe government officials to “fix” the irregularities in his casino operations.
He has recommended the dismissal from government of BI Deputy Commissioners Al Argosino and Michael Robles, both tagged in the extortion controversy.
He lauded the President for approving his recommendation and sacking Argosino and Robles, who were their brothers in San Beda College of Law’s Lex Talionis fraternity who also helped in the campaign for the presidency.
Argosino and Robles, who surrendered to the DoJ P30 million of the alleged extortion money last week, have also been charged before the office of the Ombudsman by former police chief superintendent Wally Sombero, who supposedly served as Lam’s middleman.
But before Duterte announced their dismissal, the two officials had filed their resignation last December 15.
Aguirre has ordered the dismissal of BI intelligence division chief Charles Calima Jr. and technical assistant for intelligence Edward Chan, who were also implicated in the extortion controversy.
Argosino and Robles earlier claimed the P18 million went to Calima supposedly to be given to BI Commissioner Jaime Morente and newspaper columnist Mon Tulfo while the remaining P2 million to Sombero as his commission.
Calima, Sombero and Tulfo have all denied the allegations.
Aguirre has also tapped the National Bureau of Investigation to probe the controversy while the BI is also conducting a parallel probe.
No results have been released yet.