JUSTICE Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II has warned Senator Leila De Lima over her statements against the Duterte administration that allegedly incites sedition.
In a statement Tuesday, Aguirre advised the senator for her repeated attacks against the government and its all out war against illegal drugs.
"Just a piece of unsolicited advice to her from someone she referred to as a mediocre lawyer: she should be careful about her statements. She was already inciting to sedition earlier," Aguirre said.
Earlier in the day, De Lima held a press conference in the Senate to call on the public to rise up against President Rodrigo Duterte whom she called a "sociopathic serial killer," a "criminal" and a "dictator."
De Lima said that the administration's effort to pin her down will be used to further silence the President's critics.
"Maitim ang pakay ng rehimeng ito — ang gamitin akong halimbawa para takutin, paatrasin at patahimikin ang kanilang mga kritiko, ilihis ang atensyon ng mga tao sa patuloy nilang pagmamalabis at kapalapakan, at para na rin pagtakpan ang madugong kampanya laban sa droga," she said.
She also called Aguirre "abusive" and "arrogant," to which the incumbent Justice Secretary said as "totally baseless."
"She is under a lot of pressure lately. People in her situation can easily make accusations unfounded they may be. I try my best to understand her," Aguirre said.
The crime of inciting to sedition is committed by a person who rise up publicly and tumultuously in order to forcibly attain acts such as: preventing the government or an official from freely exercising government functions or the promulgation or execution of a law.
The penalty of prision correctional in its maximum period and a fine not exceeding P2,000 pesos shall be imposed upon any person who incite others to the accomplishment of any of the acts which constitute sedition. (SunStar Philippines)