DOJ had no role in gathering info for Duterte’s drug matrix —Aguirre

Information regarding the drug matrix supposedly showing the structure of the illegal drug trade inside the New Bilibid Prison (NBP) did not come from the Department of Justice or any of its attached agencies, Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II said Wednesday.

During the House appropriations panel’s deliberations on the DOJ’s proposed P15-billion budget for 2017, Bureau of Corrections officer in charge Rolando Asuncion denied that the information on the drug matrix presented by President Rodrigo Duterte came from his agency.

Kabayan party-list Rep. Harry Roque then asked Aguirre if he was aware where the information on the matrix originated.

“I’m really sorry but it didn’t come from us,” the Cabinet official said.

Aguirre said the DOJ is conducting its own investigation on the drug trade inside the NBP although it could corroborate the information on the drug matrix.

The Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency and National Bureau of Investigation earlier admitted they were not involved in the preparation of Duterte’s list of politicians allegedly involved in the illegal drug trade inside the NBP.

Aguirre said the agency is already speeding up the probe on the matrix on illegal drug operations based at the national penitentiary so it could issue a resolution soon.

“We’re rushing the investigation we’re conducting so we can have a resolution as to why there is a proliferation of illegal drugs inside the NBP,” he said. —NB, GMA News