Senator Risa Hontiveros on Tuesday posted bail for the wiretapping case filed against her by former Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II, a lawsuit she slammed as "unfair, unjust, and a sham."
Hontiveros with her legal team went to the Pasay city Metropolitan Trial Court Branch 46 to post a P36,000 bail for the 2017 case, where Aguirre accused her of violating the Anti-Wiretapping Law after she publicized text messages from his phone that was caught on camera.
The text messages involved a plot from Aguirre to file a criminal case against the senator.
Hontiveros said in a statement after posting bail that it was not her fault that Aguirre’s font size was large enough to be caught on camera.
"If his text messages were set in fonts large enough to be caught on camera, then he has only himself to blame," she said.
"He should have known better than to conspire with others in the middle of a public event, in full view of photographers' cameras. There was no deception or subterfuge involved," she continued.
According to Hontiveros, she remains confident that the Constitution is protecting all aspects of her privilege speech, and that she did not violate the Anti-Wiretapping Law.
Instead, the senator said that it was Aguirre and his people who are caught manipulating the law against her.
"Nabuko natin ang kanilang planong conspiracy laban sa akin, na isang senador, habang nasa loob mismo ng Senado, at habang may pagdinig. Isang malaking pambabastos ito sa ating institusyon," she said.
(We discovered their conspiracy plan against me, a senator, while inside the Senate, and while a hearing is ongoing. This is a huge disrespect in the institution.)
She stated that she remains firm in fighting against what she described as "harassment" against her by the former justice secretary.
"Walang kwenta at walang basehan ang kasong isinampa sa akin ni dating Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre. Desidido akong labanan ang panghaharass na ito," she said.
(The case filed by former Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre against me is worthless and has no basis. I am firm that I will fight this harassment.)
"Malinaw na black propaganda lang itong kaso na ito ni Mr. Aguirre at ng mga kasabwat niya. Pero kung akala nila na maduduwag ako, doon sila nagkakamali," she later added.
(It is clear that this case from Aguirre and his accomplices is black propaganda. But if they think I will cower, that’s where they’re mistaken.)
"Hindi ko papalampasin ang lahat ng nasa likod nitong pang-gugulong ito. This entire case is unfair, unjust, and a sham."
(I will not let everyone behind the case to get away with this. This entire case is unfair, unjust, and a sham.)
She also questioned why the case would suddenly move forward four years after it was filed, and why government resources were getting allocated to it.
"Ang tanong ko tuloy, bakit ngayon biglang umusad ang kasong ito, pagkatapos ng apat na taon ng pagkabulok?" she said.
(My question is: why would this case suddenly move forward after four years?)
"Why are government resources being devoted to this obviously baseless case, when we need every peso for rehabilitation and rescue efforts for victims of Typhoon Odette?"
