Acting Justice Secretary Alberto Agra said Monday he would not inhibit himself from resolving the motions for reconsideration (MR) filed by families of the November 23, 2009 massacre victims and vowed to resolve these motions this week.

Agra made the announcement a few days after he said that he is planning to create a panel to review his April 26 resolution clearing two members of the Ampatuan clan of involvement in the massacre in Maguindanao.

In Monday's speech before employees during the flag-raising ceremony at the Department of Justice (DoJ), Agra said he will not resign from his post. He also stressed that he will not inhibit himself from resolving the case.

In resolving the motions for reconsideration, Agra said he will not bow either to political dictates or to public opinion. He insisted that his “conscience is clear” and that his resolution was based on his objective review of the evidence and arguments brought before his office.

“Again, as with all cases brought to my office, I want to make it clear that the resolution of this motion for reconsideration belongs solely to the discretion of the Secretary of Justice, Alberto Collantes Agra po (po is a Filipino term of respect). And I intend to exercise that discretion in full,” said Agra.

He said he would no longer create a new panel of prosecutors that will handle the Maguindanao massacre which claimed the lives of 57 individuals, consisting of members of the Mangudadatu clan, their supporters, and members of media.