(Eagle News) –Vitaliano Aguirre on Friday thanked President Rodrigo Duterte for the “trust and confidence” he said he gave him during his stint as justice secretary in his first-ever statement after his resignation was announced by the chief executive.
Aguirre was, however, mum about why he resigned in the first place.
Instead, he thanked the “undersecretaries, assistant secretaries and the other officials of the DOJ and all of the agencies under the DOJ family for welcoming me with open arms and for all their support and cooperation,” and for helping him make the agency “better.”
“As I leave the (DOJ), I find comfort in the thought that, by our collective efforts, we have improved the DOJ in key areas. We have achieved this by hard work and indomitable faith in the protection, providence and guidance of the Almighty,” he said.
He also urged everyone to “welcome with the same degree of enthusiasm and cooperation, more if need be, the team of incoming Secretary Menard Guevarra.”
“There is only one DOJ, let us love and serve it to the best of our abilities,” he said.
Prior to Duterte’s announcement he had accepted Aguirre’s resignation on Thursday, April 4, speculation had been rife the President’s fraternity brother was the next to be sacked.
This was after the President expressed displeasure over DOJ prosecutors’ dismissal of the drug charges against Kerwin Espinosa and others. Moira Encina
