De Lima stays put at DOJ, denies deal with INC
Justice Secretary Leila de Lima will be retained in the Aquino Cabinet despite the Iglesia Ni Cristo (INC) mass action calling for her resignation, a Palace official said.
“Buo ang tiwala at kumpiyansa ng Pangulo kay Sec. De Lima (The President has full trust and confidence in Secretary De Lima),” Presidential Communications Operations Secretary Herminio Coloma Jr. said in a text message to reporters.
At the Department of Justice (DOJ) in Manila, De Lima herself put off speculations she had resigned her post.
She walked up the stairs to her office telling reporters who tailed her that she was not giving interviews or commenting on the INC issue.
But when asked if she had resigned, De Lima replied: “Will I be here if I’m resigning? I’m back at work. There’s a lot of work to do after the holidays.”
What’s the deal? Earlier, the camp of expelled INC minister Isaias Samson Jr. expressed fears on the outcome of the criminal charges he filed against several officials of the group following the pronouncement of an INC official that they have arrived at an agreement with the government that led to the end of their protest actions that started last week.
Samson’s lawyer, Trixie CruzAngeles urged the government to disclose or clarify what the agreement was, adding that her client’s right might have been trampled upon.
Angeles also called on President Aquino and Interior Secretary Mar Roxas to guarantee her client a “fair hearing at the preliminary investigation” of the case.
“The fear now is that given the socalled agreement, a finding of “no probable cause” to make this nightmare go away for the INC’s Sanggunian is a very real possibility,” she said after INC general evangelist Bienvenido Santiago announced the reported agreement they reached with the government. ‘No deal’ – DOJ, Palace However, De Lima dispelled reports the government and the INC have entered into an agreement that led to the religious group ending its members’ demonstration.
“There is no such thing,” she said.
Coloma, likewise, assured that the investigation into the criminal complaint lodged against some INC leaders will also be pursued by the DOJ.
“Walang pagbabago sa sitwasyon, patuloy ang pagpapairal sa rule of law (The situation has not changed. The rule of law will still be enforced),” he said.
Coloma effectively rejected speculations that the INC protest was cut short in exchange for De Lima’s resignation and dropping of the illegal detention case against the group’s leaders.