Former Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II on Thursday debunked the claim of erstwhile Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) officer-in-charge Rafael Marcos Ragos that he was forced to testify against detained ex-Senator Leila De Lima on illegal drugs charges.
“It’s all lies and no truth,” Aguirre said, in an interview at the DOJ compound in Manila.
Aguirre issued the denial after Ragos returned to the witness stand last October 28 before the Muntinlupa City Regional Trail Court (RTC) Branch 204 where he affirmed his recantation.
De Lima still has a pending illegal drugs case before the Muntinlupa City RTC in connection with the alleged proliferation of dangerous drugs trade at the New Bilibid Prison when she was Justice secretary.
Ragos had testified that he personally delivered drug money to De Lima.
However, last April 30 Ragos recanted his earlier testimony and stated that “there is no truth whatsoever to any of these affidavits or House and court testimonies or any other statement made in the media or other investigatory proceedings, including the Senate and the DOJ, on the delivery of monies to Secretary De Lima or Ronnie Dayan in whatever.”
Aguirre stressed that he has video footage of Ragos that was taken by the Public Attorney’s Office when the former BuCor OIC executed one of his affidavits.
He said one of these sworn statements, a supplemental affidavit, was made before the PAO which recorded the proceedings on video.
“You will see no one was forcing him in the video when he was making the supplemental affidavit. He continues to talk. He was providing the contents of his supplemental affidavit and he was even laughing),” Aguirre said.
According to him, when he learned there was a video taken, he immediately went to the PAO on Wednesday, November 2, to secure a copy.
Aguirre recalled that he resigned as DOJ secretary on April 5, 2018 when Ragos first took the witness stand before the RTC in 2019.
“But he did not retract his testimony against De Lima. That’s why I find it suspicious that he only made the retraction now,” Aguirre said.
He expressed confidence that no one will believe Ragos’ change of heart and mind.
“No one will believe him. I have been out of the DOJ for a long time and Ragos was also made to speak before the House of Representatives for two days. He also spoke at the Senate for two days. The senators and congressmen were there. Why did he not say he was forced by Aguirre to testify against De Lima,” the former DOJ chief said.
He said he is willing to testify before the RTC to refute Ragos’ recantation. However, he said, he has not been summoned by the court.
“I am not afraid of those things,” the Aguirre said.