‘We made DOJ better,’ says Aguirre as he packs up

Newly-resigned Justice secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II on Friday said he has delivered on his promise to make the Department of Justice (DOJ) "better" than when he assumed office.

In a statement released a day after President Rodrigo Duterte accepted the Justice chief's resignation, Aguirre credited this accomplishment to the officials and employees of the DOJ.

"In our own humble way, we have delivered on our promise to make the DOJ better than when we found it," he said, also thanking Duterte for putting him at the helm of the department.

"The DOJ is better not because of me but because everybody committed heart, body and soul to march towards a single cadence. I salute the good men and women of the DOJ for showing me how it is to serve selflessly in government," he added.

READ: ex-Justice secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II's statement on his resignation -- "In our own humble way, we have delivered on our promise to make the DOJ better than when we found it." | via @nclagrimas pic.twitter.com/KxemJAOpEK

— GMA News (@gmanews) April 6, 2018

New DOJ chief

DOJ Undersecretary Erickson Balmes confirmed that Aguirre was "starting to pack up." Menardo Guevarra, the new Justice chief, said he may start reporting to work next week.

Aguirre attended the first Friday mass at the DOJ with some of his undersecretaries, but did not grant the media an interview.

"As I leave the Department of Justice, I find comfort in the thought that, by our collective efforts, we have improved the DOJ in key areas. We have achieved this by hard work and indomitable faith in the protection, providence and guidance of the Almighty," he said in the statement.

"I am not sad that it has ended, rather I am thankful that it happened. I am eternally grateful to all!" he added.

He encouraged DOJ officials and employees to welcome Guevarra "with the same degree of enthusiasm and cooperation, more if need be."

In the run-up to Duterte's announcement of the resignation of Aguirre, his fraternity brother, rumors swirled that the beleaguered Cabinet member and former lawyer was about to be fired.

Aguirre's last days in the DOJ were marked with controversy after news broke that a panel of DOJ prosecutors have dismissed charges against alleged drug personalities, resulting in public uproar and disappointment from Duterte himself.

He has ordered a new panel to further investigate the case and directed the National Bureau of Investigation to probe the original set of prosecutors for possible malfeasance.

The public criticism came with quit calls, all of which Aguirre earlier ignored. — MDM, GMA News