Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II. MARIANNE BERMUDEZ/INQUIRER FILE PHOTO
Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II on Thursday revealed that high profile inmates who testified against Senator Leila De Lima were offered P100-million to recant their testimonies against the lawmaker.
Inmates who have testified against De Lima are Herbert Colanggo, Engelberto Aceñas Dureno, Vicenty Sy, Jojo Baligad and Wu Tuan Yuan or Peter Co.
They have been excluded from the drug charges filed by the Department of Justice (DOJ) against De Lima and several others before the three Regional Trial Courts in Muntinlupa. They are currently detained at the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) Custodial Center where the offer was allegedly made.
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The offer, according to Aguirre, was made by a former senator and was coursed through Clarence Dongail, a former police officer convicted of kidnapping and murder.
The inmates turned down the offer, said Aguirre.
The bribe offer was made a day before the Muntinlupa Regional Trial Court held a hearing for De Lima’s bid to dismiss the drug charges filed against her, the secretary said. CBB