‘Very naïve’

PRRD on Hontiveros’ revelation vs Aguirre

MANILA - President Rodrigo Duterte on Wednesday dressed down Senator Risa Hontiveros for making assumption that Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II was plotting a case against her based on a photograph.

Duterte, in a chance interview in Taguig City, dismissed as “very naïve” the reaction of Hontiveros on Aguirre’s exchange of text messages with a certain “Cong. Jing.”

His statement came after Hontiveros called for Aguirre’s resignation after the Justice Secretary was photographed sending text messages to “Cong. Jing,” asking him to expedite the filing of cases against her.

Based on a photo inadvertently taken by a photographer, Hontiveros said Aguirre might be in touch with former Negros Oriental representative Jacinto “Jing” Paras to pursue charges against her.

Paras is a member of the pro-Duterte group Volunteers Against Crime and Corruption (VACC).

The President said he was not aware about the conversation.

He, however, said Hontiveros should not assume that the text message was in reference to her.

“That is very naïve. I don’t want to [lecture] Hontiveros [but] when two persons talk and you are not a party to it, do not draw conclusions of what they are talking about. For all you know, the two fools might be talking about women,” he said.