Brothers and sisters, President Duterte appointed former Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II as the new commissioner of the National Police Commission after the passing of former Napolcom Vice Chairman Rogelio Casurao. According to Presidential Spokesman Harry Roque who confirmed the appointment, Aguirre’s experience from his previous position in government will prove helpful in his new role as Napolcom Commissioner to make the agency “competent, effective, credible, and responsive” in providing services for the police. Many quarters questioned this decision and considered it as a form of “recycling” in government.
Aguirre served as the Department of Justice secretary from 2016 to 2018 under the Duterte administration. As we recall, Aguirre left his DOJ position in 2018 after controversies enveloping the agency. There were DOJ prosecutors setting aside the drug charges against big-time drug lord and drug leader Kerwin Espinosa and Peter Lim, who confessed to their crimes. Aguirre also served as Bienvenido Laud’s lawyer, a former police officer who was said to be a member of the Davao Death Squad and owner of the Laud Quarry that is rumored to be the burial place of extra-judicial killing victims in Davao City. In 2017, the DOJ headed by Aguirre also neglected to act on the drug and criminal charges presented by the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency against former Bureau of Customs commissioner Nicanor Faeldon along with other officials of the agency following the P6.4 billion worth of Shabu that allegedly got past Customs. And just last year, Aguirre allegedly provided protection for a syndicate involved in the “pastillas” bribery scheme within the Bureau of Immigration.
These are only some of the controversial issues involving the Department of Justice when Aguirre was still its secretary. It is well known that President Duterte and Aguirre are close—they are batchmates in San Beda College of Law, fraternity brothers, and Aguirre served as a lawyer for President Duterte in cases connecting the President to the Davao Death Squad. In spite of Aguirre’s repetitive involvement in controversies and anomalies, is it not worrisome that he was still appointed to a high and powerful position in government? Is this the example of greater chances to be absolved especially if you know people in government?
It is greatly emphasized in the social teaching of the Church that the true purpose of a responsible leader is to use their power to fulfill their service with dedication to common good, not for self-justification and personal elevation. In other words, government officials should be allies of the people in finding solutions to social issues and not be the cause of problems themselves.
Napolcom is one government agency that serves to discipline the police. Along with this mandate is their management of the police entrance examination, conducting investigations in anomalies and irregularities involving the police, and removing any official who committed wrongdoings. But what do we expect from the questionable appointment of one leader in an agency that filters the police? How will the trust of the people towards the police be built stronger? We need a greater form of service that cares for others. For this to happen, it is important for the higher officials to lead and serve as examples for the other officials under their wing.
Brothers and sisters, our officials in government must have honesty, integrity, and a sense of accountability in order to successfully promote the development and welfare of the people, not just for the interest of a few. As said in the book of Proverbs 16:12, “It is an abomination to kings to commit wickedness: for the throne is established by righteousness.”
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