DOJ Secretary clarified President Duterte did not push the members of the Kamara to conduct investigation on illegal drugs trade in NBP.
Department of Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II answered the reactions of Senator Leila de Lima claiming that the administration of President Rodrigo Duterte is doing all they can do in order to put her in shame, especially the conduct of Lower House investigation.
On Monday, de Lima was ousted as the chairman of the Senate committee on justice and human rights after she presented Edgar Matobato in the investigation on extra-judicial killings.
During the session of the Senate of Tuesday afternoon, de Lima delivered a privilege speech where she directly hit Senator Alan Peter Cayetano.
On Tuesday also, Aguirre denied that President Duterte had a hand in the investigation of the House committee on justice regarding the alleged illegal drug operations inside the national penitentiary where de Lima was supposedly involved, according to the witnesses.
“Hindi totoo ‘yung kanyang akusasyon na ginaganap itong House investigation na ito ay dahil sa utos ng ating Pangulong Duterte. Hindi po totoo ‘yun,” Aguirre said at a press briefing after Tuesday’s hearing.
“Ako mismo makapagsasabi na kahit minsan ako ay hindi kinausap ni Presidente Duterte na imbestigahan itong kanyang (De Lima) involvement sa illegal drug trade sa loob ng Bilibid,” he added.
De Lima, who served as the Department of Justice secretary during the term of former President Benigno Aquino III, denied the allegations against her and described the House hearing as a “sham inquiry.”
Since she was head of the Commission on Human Rights, De Lima has been a staunch critic of Duterte, until she became the DOJ Secretary.
On the other hand, Aguirre answered De Lima for making a conlusion that the testimonies of the witnesses would be all lies even without hearing them.
“Kahit hindi pa niya naririnig, sinasabi na agad niya na ang mga testigong ito ay puro kasinungalingan at imbento lamang ang sasabihin,” he said. “Pero bago mo sabihin iyon, pakinggan mo muna kung ano ang sasabihin nung tao bago ka magsabi na kasinungalingan.”
“Hindi maaaring sabihin mo na kasinungalingan ang hindi mo pa naririnig,” Aguirre pointed out.
During her privilege speech at the Senate, de Lima said she did not listen to the House inquiry.