The 25-member Commission on Appointments (CA) confirmed yesterday the appointment by President Duterte of Vitaliano N. Aguirre II as his Department of Justice (DoJ) secretary.
The decision to have Aguirre confirmed by the bicameral body followed a 30-minute closed door meeting among members of the CA justice committee chaired Sen. Loren Legarda.
The decision was reached despite last minute objections mounted by Sen. Antonio F. Trillanes IV, a bitter Duterte critic.
In the committee hearing, Sen. Panfilo M. Lacson, chairman of the Senate public order and dangerous drugs committee, moved for the confirmation of Aguirre’s appointment. Sen. Gregorio B. Honasan II seconded the motion of Lacson.
In the CA plenary session temporarily presided by San Juan Rep. Ronaldo B. Zamora, CA vice chairman in place of Senate President Aquilino Pimentel III, concurrent CA chairman, Legarda formally asked the bicameral body to confirm Aguirre’s confirmation.
Legarda’s motion was seconded by Sen. Joseph Victor “JV’’ Ejercito. Rep. Benhur Salimbangon and Rep. Antonio R. Floreindo Jr., committee vice chairman.
Trillanes said that a decision by the Legarda committee to have Aguirre’s appointment confirmed would be a “political decision and sadly, we have to live with that.’’
“It is very clear that Mr. Aguirre’s actions and actuations as well as his temper, lack of core values and lack of sense of decency and propriety, as well as his twisted belief system, indubitably shows he does not posses the required objectivity, sense of fairness and equanimity required for the distinguished position of secretary of justice. Clearly, his appointment as secretary of justice is inimical to the public interest and should be rejected by this august body,’’ he added.
To Trillanes, Aguirre is still not off the hook.
Trillanes said the scheduled testimony today by Wenceslao Sombero, a retired police senior superintendent and middleman of Chinese casino operator, Jack Lam, before the Senate Blue Ribbon committee is crucial on the issue of whether or not Aguirre stood to benefit from the P50 million cash bribery last year by Sombero to two Bureau of Immigration (BI) associate commissioners.
The bribery followed the arrest by BI operatives of 1,300 illegal Chinese workers at Lam’s Fontana casino and on-line operations in Angeles city. (MARIO CASAYURAN)