14 Addressing Inequality During the Pandemic 63 Senator Risa Hontiveros posted bail of Php 36,000 last December 28, 2021 at the Metropolitan Trial Court, following the release of the arrest order against her on December 27, 2021. The case is a wiretapping complaint filed against her by former Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre, due to the publicized photo of Aguirre texting at the Senate during its probe on the killing of Kian delos Santos. The zoomed in photo shows Aguirre texting Jacinto “Jing” Paras of Volunteers Against Crime and Corruption (VACC) to expedite cases against Hontiveros.46 Civil Liberties Speech 64 The “I will give 50 million reward kung sino makakapatay kay Duterte #NotoABSCBNShutdown” tweet led to the arrest of Teacher Ronnel Mas by National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) agents on 11 May 2020. On 18 May 2020, probers of this Office met with the family of Teacher Mas during the filing of the bail bond and visited Sta. Cruz, Zambales to personally meet with the victim, Teacher Mas. In an Order dated 24 June 2020, the Olongapo City Regional Trial Court Branch 72 Judge Richard Paradeza dismissed the charge by granting the Motion to Quash the Information filed by Teacher Mas. Judge Paradeza refuted the findings of the Department of Justice (DOJ) that Mas’ confession “cured’’ an invalid warrantless arrest and ruled that “There is no rule which provides that an extrajudicial admission cures the illegality of an arrest, in fact, inadmissible evidence.” 47 46 Talabong, R. (2021, December). Hontiveros posts bail in Aguirre wiretapping case. Rappler. https://www.rappler.com/ nation/senator-risa-hontiveros-posts-bail-aguirre-wiretapping-case/ 47 Commission on Human Rights Regional Office III. (2021, January). Human Rights Regional Situationer Report Region III – Central Luzon January to December 2020.