De Lima: Duterte camp convincing ‘Bilibid’ inmates to implicate me in drugs

Senator Leila De Lima on Saturday alleged that as early as the first week after the May 9 elections, the camp of President Rodrigo Duterte started convincing prisoners to implicate her in the illegal drug trade.

In a press conference in Quezon City on Saturday, De Lima said some “credible sources” have earlier informed her that people from the Duterte camp have been visiting the New Bilibid Prison  (NBP) in Muntinlupa City early in May to encourage prisoners to testify against her.

“Noong first week pa lang po after elections, that was about May, meron na pong nagsasabi sa 'kin, which I considered credible sources, na meron nga raw umiikot sa Bilibid at naghahanap ng mga testigo laban sa akin,” De Lima said.

“Papalabasin nga daw po na si Ronnie, ay acting as my bagman,” she added, referring to her personal driver Ronnie Dayan.

In an earlier speech, Duterte described Dayan as De Lima’s “lover.”

Duterte alleged that De Lima was a protector of drug lords in the NBP and Dayan was acting as her “bagman.”

Duterte further alleged the house of Dayan in Pangasinan was built out of De Lima’s commissions from the illegal drug trade.

De Lima said no prisoner at that time agreed to testify against her, but Duterte’s men has been visiting the NBP for several times after the May visit.

“Nasundan pa daw po iyon ng iba pang pagbisita kaya hindi na po ako magtataka kung at this point meron na po silang makuhang mga tetestigong convicts,” De Lima said.

De Lima said her credible sources said Duterte’s camp is now out to investigate other people close to her “on a personal and professional level.”

“Kinakalkal na din daw po ang mga buhay ng mga taong perceived na malapit sa akin either on a personal and professional level. In other words yung mga dating nagtrabaho sa 'kin katulad ni Ronnie, o kaya yung mga dating Usec (undersecretary) at mga dating official of the attached agencies of DOJ (Department of Justice) nominated by me na ma-appoint,” De Lima said.

De Lima added that she had earlier been warned about the supposed unearthing of dirt of Duterte’s camp against her, but she did not take it seriously.

“Wina-warningan na po ako tungkol dito pero ayaw ko lang po talagang maniwala. Kasi po iniisip ko kung ano man ang galit sa akin ng Pangulo ay hindi naman siguro siya hahantong sa ganitong punto na lantaran talaga, out and out na sisiraan ako,” De Lima said.

She said she is willing to resign and get shot in front of Duterte if the President can prove through valid evidence that she is involved in the illegal drug trade. —ALG, GMA News