Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre has recommended that President Duterte fire associate commissioners Al Argosino and Michael Robles who were caught on closed circuit television cameras taking money from an agent of alleged gambling operator and fugitive Jack Lam at a casino late last month.
Argosino and Robles, both appointees of President Duterte, tried to make fools out of the people when they said they were in possession of the money because they were gathering evidence to pin down Lam. They had earlier gone on leave pending the investigation.
Secretary Aguirre did right in recommending the sacking of the two associate commissioners even as they are his—and President Duterte’s—fraternity brothers from the San Beda College of Law.
Aguirre also sacked two intelligence officials of the bureau Wednesday for their supposed involvement in the bribery.
We can only hope there will be no attempts from any “higher authority” to shield Argosino and Robles from the consequences of their actions.
We saw something similar to this scenario just a few weeks ago, when the regional chief of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group of the Philippine National Police was ordered reinstated despite having been sacked by the PNP chief, fueling suspicions that in the war against drugs, or against corruption, there remain sacred cows for who knows what reasons.
Even if Mr. duterte acts on Aguirre’s recommendation, the story should not end with it, or with the sacking of these intelligence chief Charlie Calima and technical assistant Edward Chan. It will be a shame if their case is simply allowed to fall into the cracks just because they have now lost their jobs. Firing them is not—will never be —enough.
We have seen enough of appointments made by virtue of familial or friendship ties. So much trouble, arising from incompetence or corruption or both was caused by this bad habit during the previous administration, one that styled itself to be treading a righteous path.
We shall see how serious, or sincere, this tough-talking administration is in going after corrupt officials—even the ones the President himself has groomed and appointed.
