Vitaliano Aguirre II
Student groups on Monday called on Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II not to dip his hands into the prosecution of criminal cases filed against the three policemen accused of killing 17-year-old Kian Loyd delos Santos.
Describing Aguirre as the “Fake News King of Padre Faura,” student leaders from the University of the Philippines (UP) in Diliman, Quezon City, Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Maynila and De La Salle College Antipolo twitted the official for claiming that Delos Santos’ death was “blown out of proportion” in the media.
They also agreed with opposition Sen. Franklin Drilon who had recommended that the murder and torture charges filed against the policemen be handled by the Office of the Ombudsman and not the Department of Justice (DOJ).
In a press briefing, the students accused Aguirre of violating the Code of Professional Responsibility of Filipino Lawyers for his remarks regarding the killing of the Grade 12 student, including the rule barring lawyers from issuing “false, fraudulent, misleading, deceptive, undignified, self-laudatory or unfair statement or claim.”
No need for DOJ custody
Kathleen Benavidez, a UP law student, questioned the justice secretary’s insistence on placing the three witnesses, who first sought assistance from Sen. Risa Hontiveros, under the custody of the DOJ’s witness protection program.
She said Aguirre’s actions were “detrimental to having a thorough and impartial investigation of the case,” noting that he had also claimed that the witnesses might have been “brainwashed” by Hontiveros, a critic of President Duterte.
“His various statements about the case [showed] that he had already made up his mind about the case,” Benavidez added.
Amber Quiban of the Bukluran UP System said that Aguirre was “desperate to protect” the policemen just like the DOJ downgraded from murder to homicide the charges filed against the police officers who gunned down Albuera, Leyte, Mayor Rolando Espinosa Sr.
Quiban said: “He has no interest in protecting the witnesses so he should stop insisting on taking them [under his custody].”
Sought for comment, Aguirre laughed off the students’ allegations, saying they were either “misinformed or ignorant of our procedures at the DOJ.”
Like any other criminal case, the complaint filed by Delos Santos’ parents and the Public Attorney’s Office would be handled by the National Prosecution Service, he explained.
“I will not even touch that case. I have not resolved even a single case in the DOJ since I assumed office,” Aguirre said in a text message to the Inquirer.
“Even on appeal, I will not handle the case. The cases on appeal are assigned to my five undersecretaries. They will not be brought to me for any action before filing in court,” he stressed.
No prejudice vs victim
In a separate statement, Aguirre maintained that he had no prejudice against Delos Santos whose death became a rallying point for those opposed to the unabated drug killings under the Duterte administration.
“It is farthest from the truth,” he said, adding: “I am on the side of the truth and of the rule of law. That is my only bias.”
Delos Santos was shot on Aug. 16 by Caloocan policemen who accused him of being a drug runner who resisted arrest and fired at them first. This was disputed, however, by witnesses and CCTV footage which showed him being dragged away by policemen.