CA approves Aguirre's appointment

THE Commission on Appointments (CA) has confirmed the ad interim appointment of Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II.

On Wednesday, the CA plenary adopted the recommendation of the CA panel to confirm Aguirre's appointment as head of the Department of Justice (DOJ).

This happened amid Senator Antonio Trillanes' request to suspend Aguirre's confirmation pending the investigation on various issues under his department, including the P50 milllon bribery scandal in the Bureau of Immigration and the anomalies in the Bureau of Corrections.

In her argument, Legarda said she was strongly pushing for Aguirre's confirmation so the DOJ Secretary can address the many problems the government is facing such as the extrajudicial killings.

"We should give Secretary Aguirre a chance to do his work," she said.

But Trillanes said that the members of the CA should look into the real situation and the real picture if indeed Aguirre deserved to be appointed. 

"The fact is I was able to present the real situation that Secretary Aguirre cannot be impartial.  But if the CA wants to railroad his appointment, that is up to them," Trillanes said.

Last week, Aguirre was accused by Senator Leila De Lima of allowing high-valued inmates detained at the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) custodial center to experience lavish lifestyle, supposedly as reward for testifying against her in congressional probes last September.

Trillanes also argued that Aguirre is unfit to hold the position for calling him "sundalong kanin," "gagong senador," and "dilawan."

Aguirre, in the CA hearing, did not deny uttering harsh words against senators de Lima, Trillanes and Francis Pangilinan.

He also reminded Trillanes that he was one of the lawyers that helped the Magdalo soldiers facing rebellion charges.

The Justice Secretary, however, apologized to the three legislators.

Trillanes, for his part, said that even if Aguirre got the CA nod, he is not off the hook over the Jack Lam bribery scandal. (SunStar Philippines)

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