By Jeffrey Damicog
Former Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II on Monday, April 16, has denied allegations he has been involved in the shredding of any documents at the Department of Justice (DOJ), calling the news report as “downright malicious.”
Former Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II
(John Jerome Ganzon/ Manila Bulletin)
“Foremost, I did not order any of my personnel to shred documents during my last day in the office at the DOJ. If any shredding was done, I know nothing about it,” he said in a statement.
The former DOJ chief reacted to news reports that his successor, Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra, is looking into allegations that Aguirre has been shredding important documents before leaving the Department.
The former Secretary pointed out there is nothing wrong with such activity since “shredding of documents is being regularly done in public and private offices.”
“Assuming, for the sake of argument that it was true, what is wrong with shredding papers when what were shredded were already considered waste?” asked Aguirre.
He noted that the shredding could have been done “to prepare the office for the incoming Justice Secretary.”
“We can even surmise that it was done to get rid of unneeded or unwanted documents,” he added.
Justice Undersecretaries Reynante Orceo and Erickson Balmes assured no shredding of documents was done in their respective offices.
Meanwhile, Guevarra on Monday gave his commitment to get into the bottom of reports about the shredding of documents.
“In fairness to Sec. Vit, I will also ask him,” he said.