DEPARTMENT of Justice (DOJ) Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II said he will create a panel of investigators to probe into the alleged anomalous land agreement between the Tagum Agricultural Development Company, Inc. (Tadeco) and the Bureau of Corrections (Bucor).
At a chance interview on Monday, Aguirre said his department has already received the letter from House Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez asking for the DOJ's legal opinion on the issue.
"Natanggap lang namin kanina yung sulat ni Speaker Alvarez, humihingi ng opinion tugkol sa tunay na legal status of the more than 5,300 hectares ng Dapecol (Davao Penal Colony). Sabi namin kay Speaker magcoconstitute ako ng panel composed of the technical and legal staff," Aguirre said.
Tadeco is an agricultural business owned by the family of Alvarez' alleged rival, Davao Del Norte Rep. Antonio Floirendo Jr.
Alvarez last week charged Floirendo with graft before the Office of the Ombudsman over his connections to Tadeco.
He also called for the House of Representatives to investigate the matter, alleging that the agreement, signed in July 1969, is disadvantageous to the government.
The filing of graft complaints against Floirendo came following alleged rifts between the legislators' live in partners Cathy Binag and Jennifer Vicencio.
Alvarez denied that the alleged spat between Binag and Vicencio triggered him to file a case against Floirendo. (VoxPop Philippines)