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Hontiveros on Aguirre’s threat to file ethics, criminal raps: See you in court


Senator Risa Hontiveros on Wednesday shrugged off Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II’s threat to file an ethics complaint, as well as civil and criminal raps, against her for disclosing his supposed text exchanges with former Negros Oriental Representative Jacinto Paras.

In a statement, Hontiveros said Aguirre is just “desperately resorting to squid tactics rather than answering the accusations squarely lodged against him.”

Hontiveros said she did not violate Aguirre’s right to privacy when she shared a photo of his text messages with Paras.

“The shameful and deceitful text conversation was simply inadverdently caught by someone's camera lens. Thus, there was no intent to tap or intercept his messages. There was no reasonable expectation of privacy,” Hontiveros said.

“Secretary Aguirre is chasing a dead end. But if the Justice Secretary wants to file cases against me, go ahead. See you in court, Mr. Aguirre,” she added.

Aguirre said he would file the ethics complaint against Hontiveros next week, arguing that she violated the Bill of Rights on privacy of communications and Republic Act 4200 or the Anti-Wiretapping Act "at the very hallowed ground of the Senate."

The Cabinet official is also readying a civil complaint for alleged violation of his constitutional right to privacy of communication and a criminal complaint for violation of RA 4200 against Hontiveros.

On Tuesday, Aguirre slammed Hontiveros for disclosing in a privilege speech that she discovered through a photo of the text message that he and Paras were planning to “expedite” cases against her.

Aguirre, however, would not comment on the content of the text messages, nor address allegations that he was plotting to bring cases against Hontiveros, whose office took custody of three witnesses to the killing of 17-year-old Kian delos Santos by Caloocan City policemen during an anti-drug operation on August 16. —KBK, GMA News

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