MANILA, Philippines - Two National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) deputy directors met with Justice Secretary Leila de Lima on Thursday and said that they resent being suspected of leaking information on the arrest warrant against businesswoman Janet Lim Napoles.
"Sabi nila they can feel na mukhang sila ang pinapatamaan, silang dalawa. Sinabi lang nila iyon. They can feel daw and some people told them na baka silang dalawa iyon na pinapatamaan," De Lima told GMA News, emerging from the meeting with NBI deputy directors Reynaldo Esmeralda and Ruel Lasala.
De Lima had urged the six deputy directors to step down following Director Nonnatus Rojas' resignation.
"I don't think [Esmeralda and Lasala] are willing to submit courtesy resignations," De Lima said.
"They explained why and therefore I cannot compel them to submit their courtesy resignation," she added, without disclosing the reasons given by the two officials.
However, De Lima said that she trusts Rojas and Deputy Director Virgilio Mendez and the two officials also have President Benigno Aquino III's confidence.
Aquino said in an interview over the weekend that the two top honchos in the bureau may have tipped off suspected "pork barrel" scam mastermind Janet Lim-Napoles on the arrest warrant issued by the Makati City Regional Trial Court Branch 150.
De Lima, meanwhile, had said that she was clueless on who the President were pertaining to.
Aquino has ordered the NBI to conduct an internal investigation on the supposed leak.
Napoles went into hiding after the court issued the arrest warrant against her and her brother, Reynald Lim, based on the serious illegal detention case filed by their former employer and relative, Benhur Luy.
After President Aquino announced a P10-million reward for the capture of Napoles, the businesswoman surrendered to him in Malacanang last August 28.
Napoles, also tagged as the mastermind of the P10-billion pork barrel scam, has been detained at Fort Sto. Domingo in Sta. Rosa, Laguna. - Camille Diola