Department of Justice (DOJ) Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla said that the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) has already identified the official who hired sexy dancers in the viral video during the bureau’s command conference.
Remulla said the investigation into the matter is currently ongoing.
“There’s an internal investigation within the NBI. Some facts have been revealed to me and we will look at the NBI’s disciplinary procedure first because their investigation is ongoing and we will not preempt them,” he said in a press conference.
Remulla refused to disclose the identity or rank of the said official, explaining that the individual had attempted to approach him regarding the matter. The Justice Secretary instead asked for an explanation to be put in writing.
Three dancers were hired for entertainment during the said conference, but no public funds were supposedly used to pay for the said performance, according to Remulla.
“There are voluntary contributions to an affair of old men who thought they were adolescents,” he said, lambasting the officials. Remulla did not disclose the disciplinary measures to be implemented to hold the bureau personnel accountable.
The Civil Service Commission (CSC) meanwhile expressed its concern on the matter.
CSC commissioner Atty. Aileen Lizada questioned the bureau’s treatment of women, particularly those within the service.
“We remain as public officials 24/7, 365 days. We represent our institution. What we do reflects on our institution. It does not reflect on Commissioner Lizada, or Chair Carlo or CSC. We owe it to our country and our offices to conduct ourselves accordingly, appropriately,” Lizada said in an interview with ABS-CBN News.
Remulla, however, said he does not intend to jump into the fray and take over the bureau when it comes to disciplinary action and investigation in the NBI.
NBI director Medardo De Lemos recently issued an apology for the incident.