Aguirre: I decide the fate of Napoles

Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II (File photo JOAN BONDOC / Philippine Daily Inquirer)

“Bahala ka.”

That was the marching order of President Rodrigo Duterte to Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre in regard to admitting the alleged mastermind of the P10-billion pork barrel scam into the Witness Protection Program (WPP), the justice department chief said Sunday.

“Yun ang sabi nya sa akin,” Aguirre told Radyo Inquirer 990, referring to Duterte’s instructions regarding Janet Lim-Napoles in 2017, when the justice secretary asked the President about her being admitted to the WPP.

He said he and Duterte never discussed Napoles at length.

“Hindi namin pinag-usapan nang husto iyan. Daan lang,” Aguirre said.

“Imbestigahan mo. Kung wala naman dismissal. Yun lang ang marching order ko d’yan,” Aguirre added citing Duterte’s words last year.

According to the Justice secretary, Duterte was not aware of the case of the Janet Napoles until news broke last week.

“Hindi nagma-micro manage dito ang Pangulong Duterte,” he said. “Hindi daw siya makikialam d’yan.”

“As a matter of fact, matagal nang walang alam si Presidente Duterte diyan. Ngayon lang nung pumutok ulit kaya nalaman siguro niya,” Aguirre said. /cbb