Hontiveros dares Aguirre to file case in court

MANILA, Philippines — Sen. Risa Hontiveros yesterday challenged Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II to make good his threat to sue her after she exposed a text conversation where he plotted to file charges against her.

“Secretary Aguirre is chasing a dead end. But if he wants to file cases against me, go ahead. See you in court, Mr. Aguirre,” Hontiveros said.

Aguirre said he would file next week charges of violation of the Bill of Rights and the Anti-Wiretapping Law before the Sandiganbayan against Hontiveros for publicly exposing his private communication.

 Aguirre said he would also file a complaint against Hontiveros before the Senate ethics committee and a civil case for damages before a regional trial court.  

Hontiveros said Aguirre was desperately resorting to squid tactics rather than answering the accusations raised against him.

In the text message that a photographer inadvertently captured from the mobile phone of Aguirre during a recent inquiry into the killing of 17-year-old Kian delos Santos, the justice secretary was discussing with a certain “Cong. Jing” how Hontiveros had supposedly coached the witness.

Aguirre said in the text message that cases against Hontiveros should be expedited.

Hontiveros maintained that there was no violation of Aguirre’s constitutional right to privacy since his “shameful and deceitful text conversation was inadvertently caught by someone’s camera lens.”

 There was no intent to tap or intercept his messages. There was no reasonable expectation of privacy. The law is clear. What is prohibited is willfully and knowingly committing any acts constituting wiretapping,” she said.

According to Aguirre, the camp of Hontiveros should present a video showing the photographer was taking different shots during the Senate hearing.

“I do not believe that it was inadvertently taken. I challenge her to prove it, for her source or photographer to prove that it was accidentally taken,” he said.

“I am certain that the photographer aimed his camera at me maybe for about an hour,” Aguirre added.

He said Article 3 of the Constitution provides that the privacy of communication among individuals must remain inviolable.

“She said in her speech that the text message was validated by experts. Who are the participants (during the validation), all of them are guilty,” he said.

Aguirre said he would not give in to Hontiveros’ call for his resignation.            – With Evelyn Macairan