THE Volunteers Against Crime and Corruption (VACC) is set to ask the Department of Justice (DOJ) and National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) to invite former President Benigno S. Aquino III in the investigation on the alleged proliferation of illegal drugs inside the New Bilibid Prison (NBP).
Arsenio Evangelista, spokesman for the VACC, said the proliferation of illegal drugs in the NBP happened during the watch of former Justice Secretary and now Sen. Leila M. de Lima and Aquino.
“The VACC will request the DOJ and the NBI to invite during the conduct of investigation now private citizen Benigno Aquino III on the investigation on proliferation of illegal drugs during his term from 2010-2016 as the president of the Republic of the Philippines. This will test the freedom of information circular signed by President Duterte, Evangelista said.
Duterte’s FOI circular only covers the Executive branch of the government.
Last week the House of Representatives conducted a two-day investigation on the alleged operation of drug syndicate inside the NBP and the apparent involvement of high-ranking government officials from the previous administration.
Meanwhile, PDP-Laban Rep. Reynaldo V. Umali of Oriental Mindoro, justice committee chairman, dismissed insinuations that the hearing appeared to have been directed by the DOJ, with Justice Secretary Vitaliano N. Aguirre II conducting the examination of the witnesses’ testimonies instead of the lawmakers.
“This is unprecedented, perhaps, in the House of Representatives, but not in a congressional inquiry,” Umali said, as he detailed the Senate’s previous action during its own investigation, in aid of legislation, on the Janel Lim-Napoles scam.
“You will recall the person handling the direct examination of Benhur Luy, who was a witness, was no less than the former Secretary of Justice Leila de Lima herself,” Umali said.
Moreover, Umali said the direct examination was a more ideal way of conducting a congressional probe to make it clearer.
It is also not against House rules governing inquiries in aid of legislation, he added.
During the hearing, the DOJ has presented several witnesses, including high-profile inmates.
The high-profile inmates were accorded immunity and placed under the Witness Protection Program (WPP) upon their request, which was duly approved by Speaker Pantaleon D. Alvarez.
All witnesses—represented accordingly by their respective counsels—implicated de Lima in the proliferation of drug trade in the NBP.