Hontiveros urges ‘radical overhaul’ of PH judicial system
Senator Risa Hontiveros on Monday called for a “radical overhaul” of the country’s judicial system, which she said has been damaged by Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre and the government’s bloody war on drugs.
In a statement, Hontiveros reiterated his call for Aguirre’s resignation.
“As early as last year, I already called for the resignation of Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre. This was after he tried to discredit the testimonies of witnesses to the Kian killing and was caught plotting to expedite cases against me while attending a Senate hearing. Even then, I already knew that Mr. Aguirre was undeserving of his post,” she said in a statement.
READ: Hontiveros calls for resignation of Aguirre for ‘plotting’ against her
Hontiveros first called for Aguirre’s resignation after she exposed in September last year the latter’s alleged plot to file cases against her as shown in an exchange of text messages inadvertently captured while he was attending a Senate hearing.
READ: Hontiveros seeks Aguirre’s resignation over plot against her
“Mr. Aguirre is a manufacturer and peddler of fake news. He is a cook of fake cases. And now, a reliable friend of criminal masterminds, extrajudicial killers and drug lords,” she said.
Hontiveros said Aguirre has transformed the Department of Justice (DOJ) into his “personal kitchen.”
“Doon niya niluluto ang mga pekeng balita at pekeng kaso laban sa oposisyon. Doon din niya nilutong ma-abswelto ang mga mamamatay tao, big-time plunderer at drug peddler,” she said.
Aguirre’s continued stay as Justice Secretary, she said, only showed that the administration’s government’s war on drugs was “one-sided” and a “complete fakery.”
“It is also a vulgar insult to the people and our quest for justice and accountability,” said the senator.
“Calling for Mr. Aguirre’s resignation is only appropriate. However, at this point, Mr. Aguirre’s firing and/or resignation, like the reports that the President allegedly punched a wall in Malacañang out of anger over the dismissal of complaints against alleged drug lords, would be nothing but a desperate PR move from the government to shore up support for its discredited drug war.”
“What is needed now is a radical overhaul of our judicial system to rehabilitate it from the damage caused by Mr. Aguirre and the government’s bloody anti-drug campaign,” Hontiveros added. /muf
