Hontiveros, Aguirre tell each other: Inhibit from Kian case

MANILA, Philippines -  Sen. Risa Hontiveros and Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II urged each other to inhibit from the investigation into the killing of 17-year-old Kian Loyd delos Santos during a police anti-drugs operation in Caloocan City.

In a press briefing at the Senate yesterday, Hontiveros also asked Aguirre to cease from offering the three witnesses, who are under protective custody of the Senate, to be covered by the witness protection program of the Department of Justice (DOJ).

“After his one-sided statements in yesterday’s hearing, the justice secretary has lost all credibility to hear this case. He has also lost the trust and confidence of the public that he can capably protect the witnesses. Placing the witnesses in Secretary Aguirre’s ‘care’ would be like delivering sheep into the lion’s den,” Hontiveros said. 

Hontiveros said her office is studying possible legal actions to force Aguirre to inhibit.

“In the spirit and interest of impartiality and the pursuit of justice, I demand that the justice secretary inhibit himself from all investigations being conducted into the killing of Kian,” she added.

Aguirre said he has no problem inhibiting from the case, but added that Hontiveros should also inhibit herself from the probe.

“I have no problem with that. But she should also inhibit on Senate investigations and other matters where her fairness and impartiality are under question,” Aguirre said.

He added that Hontiveros has made obvious statements and pronouncements against President Duterte.

“Isn’t is obvious (based on her past) statements and pronouncements against President Duterte, that the President did nothing good and for her (everything that Duterte did) was bad. So how can you say that she is fair and she is not biased?” he said. 

Meanwhile, Public Attorney’s Office (PAO) chief Persida Rueda-Acosta believes that there was no need for Aguirre to inhibit himself from the murder case of Delos Santos since he is not part of the investigation. 

“I think there is no need to ask since it is not the secretary of justice who would investigate. That is the work of the fiscal. Our fiscals are career officers, from the ranks,” she said. 

In response to Hontiveros calling him “areglo king,” Aguirre yesterday retaliated and called her “drama queen.”

“In what cases did I intervene? She should stop her drama so that she would not be called ‘drama queen’,” said Aguirre. 

He added: “This is the problem if you lack the knowledge. You would make continuous attacks, without first verifying the subject.”

Aguirre has previously stated that the case of Delos Santos was an isolated one that has been blown out of proportion.

He has also aired his belief that the witnesses may have been brainwashed by the camp of Hontiveros since they were still very young and could easily be influenced.

Both the DOJ and the PAO are trying to secure the three witnesses to the killing of Delos Santos into their wing to help in their investigation.

Hontiveros said the three, two of them minors, are at a sanctuary of a diocese and under protective custody of the Senate as an institution.

She reiterated that the three witnesses wanted to be secured by her office, which they and their relatives signified to her when she visited the wake of Delos Santos.

Controversy struck over the issue of custody of the three witnesses after the family of Delos Santos asked Hontiveros to turn them over to the PAO and the mother of one of the minors claimed that she did not know that her child was now under the custody of the senator. 

Hontiveros said that the mother of the witness, who also acts as legal guardian of the other witness also a minor, was merely confused at the start because of communication issues since she is based in Oman as an overseas Filipino worker.

The office of Hontiveros has presented consent and authorization forms signed by the mother, allowing the two children to freely decide on who they want to secure them and specifically for Hontiveros to take custody of them.

During yesterday’s press briefing, Hontiveros called up the mother in Oman to show that the placing of the witnesses under her custody was with parental blessings.

The mother apologized to Hontiveros and to the PAO, saying that she was merely confused and afraid for the safety of her child. 

“I hope this settles with finality the issue of custody and stops malevolent forces from muddling this issue in an attempt to prevent the public from seeking the truth and bringing justice for the killing of Kian,” Hontiveros said.

The Senate has taken custody of three witnesses to the killing of Delos Santos that temporarily ended the tug-of-war between Hontiveros and the DOJ.

Senate President Aquilino Pimentel III said there was no reason to fight over the custody of the witnesses.

“We all have the same goal, which is to find the truth and achieve justice in Kian’s death,” Pimentel said.

Senate Majority Leader Vicente Sotto III said it does not matter who has custody of the witnesses as President Duterte gave assurance that the policemen involved in the killing will be sanctioned.

On Thursday, PAO chief Acosta lamented during the Senate inquiry into killing that Hontiveros has refused to turn over the witnesses to the PAO, which was chosen by Delos Santos’ family to handle their complaint against policemen involved in the incident. 

– With Evelyn Macairan, Paolo Romero