Former Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre expressed disbelief at a Muntinlupa court's grant of bail to former senator Leila de Lima.

At the weekly Kapihan sa Manila Bay media forum in Malate, Aguirre downplayed the court giving credence to the recantation of former Bureau of Corrections officer-in-charge Rafael Ragos, which was the basis for the grant of bail, saying that even the Supreme Court does not adhere to recantations, citing previous jurisprudence.

"It is sad to know that the Muntinlupa City Regional Trial Court did not give emphasis to the more than 60-page record of the trial, and only with the one-page recantation of Ragos was the bail petition granted," Aguirre said.

"Would you believe the kind of person he is (Ragos)? Suddenly, he took back his testimony, saying I had threatened him. If you saw Ragos, a former NBI and NBP chief, he was a big guy when he appeared before me," Aguirre said in Filipino.

He cited the case of Hubert Webb, who was found guilty by a lower court of the Vizconde massacre based on the testimony of witness Jessica Alfaro. But later, the Supreme Court decided to acquit him after the justices believed the defense of Webb that he was in the US.

Aguirre also brushed off the statement of former senator Frank Drilon that he should be charged with "subordination of perjury," saying that there were court proceedings and even hearings conducted by the Senate Blue Ribbon committee.

At the same forum, former president Duterte's spokesperson Harry Roque called on Speaker Martin Romualdez to listen to what President BBM has been saying about the ICC.

Marcos has said the government will not cooperate with the International Criminal Court's investigation into the thousands of killings committed during his predecessor's war on drugs.

Roque called on all House members to listen to President Marcos's pronouncements.

"Congressmen, listen to your true boss, President BBM, not Speaker Romualdez," Roque said.

He also expressed the fear that a resolution filed by a congressman that is set to be approved this week would implicate Vice President Sara Duterte in the ICC, which would issue a warrant for her arrest.

Roque also threw a potshot at Justice Secretary Crispin Remulla, who might use the resolution to allow ICC officials into the country to conduct their investigation.

"The problem with Secretary Remulla is that he has changed his tune when he should also be listening to President BBM," Roque said.

He also chided Solicitor General Menardo Guevara for hiring a rookie foreign lawyer to appear before the ICC and paid half a billion pesos.