By Christopher Lloyd T. Caliwan
Senator Leila de Lima, chair of the Committee on Justice and Human Rights, leads the inquiry on the extrajudicial killings, Monday morning.(MNS photo)
MANILA (PNA) –Department of Justice (DOJ) Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II on Wednesday said that the plan of Senator Leila De Lima to file a case against President Rodrigo Duterte will not prosper.
“Nothing will happen on that. She will be going against a well-established doctrine. I don’t think the SC (Supreme Court) will allow that because otherwise everybody will file cases against the president that will waste his time,” Aguirre told reporters in a press conference.
The DOJ chief made the statement after De Lima bared her plan to file petitions before the SC seeking the issuance of a writ of habeas data and writ of amparo that will also, in effect, test the doctrine of presidential immunity from suits.
Aguirre said De Lima cannot be granted privileges under the writ of habeas data and writ of amparo.
“Her life, liberty or property is not in danger so these writs don’t apply to her case,” he explained.
Aguirre also shrugged off De Lima’s allegation that he is the “master of fakery”, saying the latter cannot even identify which piece of evidence against her was falsified.
He added that she should stop general denials and hurling accusations back and forth.
“Hindi ganyan ang pagdepensa. Isa kang magaling na abogado,” Aguirre said, adding that De Lima should explain why she should not be called the protector of drug lords inside the New Bilibid Prison.
“You have been the Justice Secretary for six years, what did you do? You should tell us what did you do to stop the drug proliferation inside the New Bilibid Prision,” Aguirre said. (PNA)
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