De Lima says Aguirre making her, Trillanes his scapegoats
MANILA, Jan. 4 (PNA) -- Sen. Leila de Lima on Wednesday claimed that Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II was again making her and colleague Sen. Antonio “Sonny†Trillanes IV his scapegoat by blaming them for the stabbing of high-profile inmate Jaybee Sebastian in the New Bilibid Prison last September 28.
Aguirre was reported to have linked both De Lima and Trillanes in the stabbing of Sebastian.
“If I were responsible for the stabbing, it then seems that the NBP is run and managed by idiots who can't protect high profile inmates staying inside the most guarded spot in Philippine prisons,†De Lima said.
On Tuesday, Trillanes also denied his involvement in the stabbing of Sebastian describing the allegations as “absurd.â€
De Lima said that Aguirre did not even try to take responsibility for being Justice Secretary who has authority over the penitentiary.
“Aguirre is exercising all powers of a DOJ Secretary without taking any responsibility for such exercise. He has power and authority as DOJ Secretary over the Bilibid but refuses to take responsibility for the stabbing of several high profile inmates under his watch,†the neophyte senator said.
“Instead, he creates a convenient scapegoat in the person of two senators who were at least several kilometers away from the crime scene,†she added.
She stressed that the penitentiary had Philippine National Police-Special Action Forces (PNP-SAF) guarding Bilibid but instead blames two senators “instead of asking the PNP SAF why they were sleeping at the noodlehouse during the so-called riot.â€
The senator also raised the possibility that it was the administration’s way of convincing Sebastian to testify against De Lima after he initially refused.
“Aguirre is lying. What do you expect from a public official who fakes his own hair?†De Lima said.
De Lima and Trillanes earlier filed a joint resolution seeking a probe into the alleged riot that erupted inside the NBP involving high-profile inmates. (PNA)
Linkback:
https://tubagbohol.mikeligalig.com/index.php?topic=84073.0