The aggravation of Alberto Agra

Our latest report looks at the checkered past and messy present of acting Justice Secretary Alberto Agra, an ex-activist lawyer in the line of fire today for his resolution ordering state prosecutors to drop murder charges against Zaldy and Akmad Ampatuan in connection with the massacre of 57 persons, including 32 media workers, in Maguindanao on November 23, 2009.

This story by PCIJ senior researcher-writer Annie Ruth Sabangan traces Agra’s epiphany from the Ateneo law School, where as a student he was suspended for alleged cheating in a class exam, to his diligent work as a co-founder of an alternative law group, until he suddenly switched services to the political party coalition of then presidential candidate Gloria Macapagal Arroyo in 2004. That year kicked off a six-year tenure in government service for Agra, who had also served as solicitor-general and head of the Office of the Government Corporate Counsel.

Over the last five days, the PCIJ tried to get an interview schedule with Agra, or even his replies to questions that he said we should move via email. As of this posting time, Agra has not responded, even as earlier this morning he promised to mail back his reply by noon