Aguirre denies pressuring Ragos to testify vs. De Lima

Ex-Justice secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II on Wednesday denied pressuring former Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) officer-in-charge Rafael Ragos to testify against Senator Leila De Lima.

In John Consulta’s report on “24 Oras,” Aguirre claimed he had no knowledge of a meeting with at a hotel in Parañaque, where he supposedly threatened Ragos.

Aguirre said that it was Ragos who approached him, twice, to give his statements regarding delivering drug money to De Lima.

"Imagine, a lawyer coercing another lawyer, who has been a director of the National Bureau of Investigation and an OIC director appointed by De Lima of the BuCor. Eh ang titigas na niyan...Nasaan ang ebidensya? Kahit katiting, wala [Those guys are hardened. Where is the evidence? Not even a shred, nothing],” he said.

On Sunday, Ragos retracted his testimony that De Lima received millions in proceeds from the prison drug trade from him.

He also said that he was threatened by Aguirre into making false allegations against her.

Ragos apologized to De Lima for testifying against her and said she should be cleared of the drug charges, for which she has been detained since February 2017.

Aguirre also questioned the timing of Ragos’ retraction, saying it might be related to the May 9 polls and the senator’s survey numbers.

He claimed that some individuals are also trying to convince other witnesses to retract their previous testimonies.

“This is part of a grand plan para lamang magkaroon ng sympathy ang opposition,” he said.

“Hindi niyo ba nakita na pwedeng magkaroon ng relasyon sa eleksyon [Can’t you see that it is possible that it is related to the election]? Especially, now that De Lima is running for re-election?" he added.

Aguirre challenged those supposedly behind Ragos to file charges against him if he is not telling the truth.

He added that Ragos should face perjury charges for recanting his previous statements.

"Ragos, baka 'yung iniisip ko na hindi pa tapos 'yung hindi pa na-review ng dismissal ng case mo, ng drug case mo, kapareho ni De Lima at Dayan ang mangyayari sayo. Wala kang bail. Kaya isipin mo bago ka magpagamit."

(Ragos, maybe what I'm thinking is that the dismissal of your case, your drug case hasn't been reviewed yet, the same thing will happen to you as De Lima and Dayan. You have no bail. Think and consider your options.)

Not a manipulation

De Lima's camp denied that they are manipulating the witnesses.

“Si Senator Leila De Lima, limang taon na 'yan nakakulong. Ano pa ang hold niya, ano pa ang influence niya sa mga testigo na ito?" De Lima's counsel Filibon Tacardon said. "Hirap na hirap nga siya sa kanyang kampanya para gamitin pa niya pa itong si Ragos."

(Senator Leila de Lima has been imprisoned for five years. What hold does she have, what influence, on these witnesses? She's already finding it difficult enough to campaign without having to use this Ragos.)

The Justice department said it would carefully study Aguirre's statements. — Mel Matthew Doctor/BM, GMA News