MANILA, Philippines – Itinanggi ni dating Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II ang anumang kaugayan nito sa umano’y crimes against humanity matapos pangalanang co-perpetrator ng International Criminal Court (ICC) sa lesser redacted version ng document of charges laban kay dating Pangulong Rodrigo Duterte.
Sa pahayag nitong Sabado, Pebrero 13, tahasang itinanggi ni Aguirre na may kaugnayan siya sa mga alegasyong nagdidiin sa kanya at iba pa, sa dalawang insidente na maaaring nagresulta sa pagkakasama ng kanyang pangalan sa listahan.
“I have nothing to do with their accusations of crimes against humanity against me. I did nothing wrong,” ani Aguirre.
“Two instances were cited in the news report as possible sources of my violations,” dagdag pa nito.
Ayon sa dating justice secretary, noong 2009, nang hindi pa miyembro ng ICC ang Pilipinas, ay nagsilbi siyang counsel para kay Duterte at iba pang hinihinalang miyembro ng Davao Death Squad (DDS), na hindi niya umano itinatanggi.
“I was just exercising my profession as a lawyer, and nothing is wrong with that. I never conspired or participated in any extrajudicial killings,” paglilinaw ni Aguirre.
Sa pahayag, sinabi niya rin na, “Secondly, when I served as DOJ Secretary from June 30, 2016, to April 5, 2018.”
“I hereby reiterate that I never engaged in any EJK or supported its implementation. I believe that some people are trying very hard to link me to this war on drugs to make it appear that EJK was part of their so-called Common Plan or a national policy of the Duterte administration for their EJK accusations against PRRD to be credible,” dagdag pa nito.
Bilang justice secretary, personal din umano siyang humawak ng mga pagpupulong sa pagitan ng mga pamilya nina Kian Delos Santos, Carlo Arnais, at Kulot de Guzman kasama si Duterte sa Malacañang, at ang mga pulis na sangkot sa pagpatay ay nilitis at hinatulan sa korte.
“I was never part of this war on drugs and never participated in its implementation, if ever it was true,” pagtatapos ni Aguirre. RNT/JGC
