De Lima hits back at Aguirre: False bravado won’t save you

Senator Leila de Lima on Monday hit back at Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II, saying the time has come for the Cabinet official to be held accountable for his “shenanigans.”

“It is without doubt that the charges filed against him find concrete basis in facts that are even of public knowledge. His shenanigans and incompetence as SOJ are already legendary,” De Lima said in a statement.

“He cannot possibly think that he can keep on committing these irregularities and irresponsible accusations against members of the opposition without being held accountable one of these days,” she said.

De Lima added that Aguirre most likely holds the record for being the “worst” Justice secretary. De Lima is Aguirre’s predecessor.

She said the time has come for Aguirre to be disciplined and prosecuted by the Ombudsman.

“It is time he face the power of the Ombudsman to discipline and prosecute notoriously undesirable government officials like him. Before the Office of the Ombudsman, Aguirre knows he is fair game. His false bravado cannot save him from this stark reality,” she said.

Last week, De Lima filed criminal and administrative complaints against Aguirre before the Office of the Ombudsman.

De Lima accused Aguirre of negligence in prosecution and toleration of criminal offenses, grave coercion, use of falsified documents, offering false testimony, usurpation of legislative powers, and graft.

In response, Aguirre said De Lima, who is presently detained for drug charges, is only “trying to be relevant.”

“Unlike her who has consistently anchored her defense on bare denials and nothing more, we can refute her accusations with well established proof of actions taken," Aguirre said.

Aguirre is also facing administrative complaints of dishonesty, gross neglect of duty, grave misconduct, oppression, inefficiency and incompetence in the performance of official duties, and conduct grossly prejudicial to the best interest of the service. —ALG, GMA News