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MANILA, Philippines – Former Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II on Tuesday challenged former presidential special envoy to China and columnist Ramon Tulfo to bring cases against him on allegations that he provided protection to a union that facilitated the alleged “scheme of bribery of pills at the Immigration Office (BI).
During a hearing in the Senate of the Commission on Women, Children, Family Relations and Gender Equality on the alleged scam, Aguirre reiterated his innocence in the face of Tulfo’s “malicious accusation”.
“I have been a member of the Bar Association for 48 years in good standing. I have no derogatory record. I graduated as a valedictorian from San Beda College of Law. In short, my reputation, as well as the good name of my family, are at stake here, ”he told the committee.
“I therefore challenge Mr. Tulfo, if he has ‘the assets’, present the corresponding case and confront me before the corresponding forum. You have absolutely no right to use his august body to defame me and discredit me or dishonor my family ”, added the former Secretary of Justice.
In a column on February 25, Tulfo quoted whistleblower and immigration officer Allison Chiong as saying that a senior official is receiving his “share of the spoils” of the alleged plan via a helicopter chartered from Manila. It was in March that Tulfo said during a Senate hearing that he was referring to Aguirre.
But for Aguirre, the accusations made by Tulfo against him are only “fueled by personal revenge and dirty politics.”
“Similarly, not an iota of evidence was presented during previous hearings by this committee linking me to the pill scheme. Even Mr. Allison Chong, the alleged whistleblower, never mentioned my name in the entire process. It was only Mr. Tulfo who repeatedly mentioned my name without any concrete evidence, ”he added.
EDV
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