LAMBIGIT (Centrist Democratic Movement Federation of the Philippines)

MANILA, Philippines – A National Bureau of Investigation official is not yet off-the-hook despite revealing an alleged attempt to bribe a witness in the Maguindanao massacre.

In a press conference Thursday, Justice Secretary Leila de Lima said NBI regional director Ric Diaz will undergo investigation despite revealing the bribe attempt to Maguindanao massacre witness Kenny Dalagdag. “Nobody is off-the-hook yet. There must be a proactive and dynamic approach na pinapakita agad sa sitwasyong ganyan," she told reporters.

Diaz earlier said retired Air Force colonel Juanito Mariano went to his office last June 10 at 3 p.m. and asked for access to Dalagdag. He claimed Mariano even offered up to P10 million in bribes if the witness recants his testimony.

Diaz said he turned down Mariano and immediately informed officials about it, including then Justice Secretary Alberto Agra. He however noted Agra told him to cull more evidence to back the claims.

Diaz said he did not arrest Mariano as there was no direct bribe offer and no money was shown to him. “He was just requesting for access to Kenny. For me it was not yet sufficient for me to arrest him...I was really taken by surprise,” he said.

De Lima, meanwhile, questioned why Diaz did not inform his immediate superior, NBI director Nestor Mantaring, about the bribe attempt.

She also lamented Agra's and Mantaring's failure to investigate the bribery claim. “Attempted bribery really is more on his word versus his word. It’s a question now of credibility. If I was the secretary then, I would have had it investigated,” she said.

The new justice chief did not say if the DOJ would take any action on Agra and Mantaring. “I have to be circumspect also on what possible course of action may be taken by the DOJ. I have to find out the result of the investigation first so I can determine also at my level," she said.

Six members of the Ampatuan clan, which ruled southern Maguindanao province for a decade, are facing multiple murder charges for their involvement in the November 23 Maguindanao massacre.

The massacre took the lives of 57 people.