Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II (left) and Senator Risa Hontiveros. PHOTOS BY RICHARD A. REYES, JOAN BONDOC / Philippine Daily Inquirer
Aside from criminal and civil charges, Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre said he will also file an ethics complaint against Senator Risa Hontiveros at the Senate for disclosing to the public his personal text messages with a certain 鈥淐ong. Jing.鈥�
鈥溾�� (I鈥檓 hoping to file) the criminal case, sa (Office of the) Ombudsman鈥� Pwede kong i-file sa Ombudsman pero parang matagal-tagal ang proceedings dyan, magkakaroon pa ng fact-finding,鈥� Aguirre said in an interview over Radyo Inquirer on Wednesday.
鈥淢agpa-file din po ko ng civil case para sa civil courts para mabilis.聽Magpa-file ako ng administrative and if tatanggapin sa committee on ethics yung complaint ko, I will file,鈥� the secretary added.
Hontiveros, during a privilege speech at the Senate on Monday, demanded Aguirre鈥檚 resignation for allegedly plotting cases against her, as shown in a photo inadvertently captured by a photographer.
搁贰础顿:听Hontiveros seeks Aguirre鈥檚 resignation over plot against her
Reacting to this, the justice secretary said Hontiveros invaded his right to privacy by showing to the public the contents of the text message.
鈥淵ung ginawang nilang 鈥榶an lumalabag sila sa batas tapos isinapubliko nila sa buong Pilipinas. At ang naging ground nila sa paglabag sa batas eh 鈥榶ung mismong Senado. Kaya I believe that talagang responsible ang ethics committee,鈥� said Aguirre.
The justice secretary also raised a possible conspiracy between Hontiveros and the photographer, who captured his alleged text message to a certain Cong. Jing.
鈥淭alagang merong conspiracy dito sa loob ng Senado na talagang kunan at mag-eavesdrop sa aking cellphone,鈥� Aguirre said.
In her privilege speech, Hontiveros read the supposed message sent to Aguirre: 鈥淗ontiveros was able to coach the witness. Her questions are leading questions.鈥�
Aguirre鈥檚 response, she said, reads: 鈥淭hat is what I鈥檓 saying here. Very obvious. That鈥檚 why let us expedite your cases against her.鈥�
Hontiveros later identified 鈥淐ong. Jing鈥� as former Negros Oriental Rep. Jacinto 鈥淛ing鈥� Paras, a member of the the Volunteers Against Crime and Corruption (VACC). /je