A deal was struck for Marcelino to testify against me —De Lima

Detained Senator Leila de Lima on Friday said it was "too obvious" that the release of Marine Lt. Col. Ferdinand Marcelino was part of a "deal" for him to testify against her.

"A deal has been struck na mag-testify din siya against me," De Lima told reporters before the start of a hearing on her disobedience to summons case at the Quezon City Metropolitan Trial Court.

"Hindi ba obvious yan?... It's too obvious and it's too brazen.... Pagkatapos nilang i-dismiss yung case niya, magte-testify naman daw against me," she added.

Judge Daniel Villanueva of the Manila Regional Trial Court Branch 49 on Thursday ordered the release of Marcelino and his Chinese companion, Yan Yi Shou, after they were cleared by the Department of Justice (DOJ) of involvement in illegal drugs.

Meanwhile, De Lima is currently detained at the Philippine National Police Custodial Center inside Camp Crame in Quezon City over drug-related cases.

De Lima said Marcelino gave in to the pressure to testify against her.

"Apparently hindi niya na nakakayanan 'yung pressure sa kanya. Matagal na nila yang project... I expect that the deal has been strong. It might be an irresistible or an overwhelming fear," she said.

De Lima said she had hoped that Marcelino would be strong enough to withstand the supposed pressure. "Sayang, I thought he was a man of honor. I hope I'm wrong na despite of the pressure na hindi pa rin siya magpapagamit," she said.

Sought for comment, Public Attorney's Office chief Persida Acosta, who represents Marcelino, denied De Lima's allegation.

"There is no deal. Purely rule of law, justice and truth," Acosta told GMA News Online in a text message.

"He deserves to regain his freedom as a patriot," she added.

Marcelino, who is a former anti-drug agent, has earlier denied that he was being forced to testify against De Lima.

"Akin pong categorically dine-deny na may nag-pressure or nananakot or nag-coerce sa akin from the side of the government upang magsalita ako laban [kay De Lima]," Marcelino said in a news conference in September last year. 

Earlier in the day, De Lima had issued a statement saying she would no longer be surprised if Marcelino would be forced to “lie” due to “pressure or threat coming from the tyrant and his minions.” — MDM, GMA News