Palace to ex-NBI officials: File case in court

Presidential Spokesperson Abigail Valte. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO

BAGUIO CITY, Philippines — Malacanang on Saturday said the two disgruntled officials relieved from the National Bureau of Investigation could file a case in court if they want to question their removal.

“Handa naman pong sumagot ang DOJ, lalo kung kukuwestyunin po ito sa hukuman,” Deputy Presidential Spokesperson Abigail Valte said in a press briefing over the radio.

(The Department of Justice is ready to answer, especially if they question the position in court.)

NBI deputy directors Ruel Lasala and Reynaldo Esmeralda complained to media that they did not receive any reason for their relief order, which they said was “tantamount to dismissal.”

Valte declined to comment on whether the two were the ones being linked to alleged pork barrel scam mastermind Janet Lim-Napoles.

“The President felt that replacing them will be for the benefit of the institution,” she merely said.

The spokesperson insisted that the four new deputy directors appointed to fill Lasala and Esmeralda’s positions and two more vacant posts also rose from the ranks of the NBI.

“As presidential appointees, naiintindihan po natin dapat ‘yan na lahat po tayo ay nagsisilbi sa Pangulo at sa taumbayan at because of the nature of the appointment, lahat po tayo, we serve at the pleasure of the President, and that means that at anytime dapat handa po tayong i-turnover ang ating mga duties,” Valte reminded.

(As presidential appointees, we understand that we serve the President and the people and because of the nature of the appointment, all of us, we serve at the pleasure of the President, and that means that at anytime we are ready to turn-over our duties.)

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