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De Lima laughs off Duterte's 'drug matrix'
Saying she is 100 percent of her innocence, Sen. Leila de Lima on Thursday laughed off President Rodrigo Duterte's matrix supposedly showing her role in the drug operations inside the New Bilibid Prison.
In a press conference, De Lima said the matrix—released by Duterte on the wee hours of Thursday—"properly belongs to the garbage can."
"As I have often said, I will not dignify any further this so-called 'drug matrix' which, any ordinary lawyer knows too well, properly belongs to the garbage can," she said.
De Lima also described the matrix as "the worst matrix of all time."
"Even a 12-year-old can draw such a thing," she said, expressing confidence that the accusation against her will surely go nowhere.
"Like the many tirades thrown at me, these are bound to fail again with all of these trumped-up accusations," De Lima said.
Aside from De Lima, other former and current government officials in the matrix are former Pangasinan governor and now Pangasinan Rep. Amado Espino Jr., former Justice Undersecretary Francisco "Toti" Baraan III, his brother Pangasinan Provincial Administrator Rafael "Raffy" Baraan, retired Gen. Franklin Bucayo and Pangasinan Board Member Raul Sison.
De Lima's former driver and alleged lover, Ronie Dayan, is also in the matrix. He was described as being known as "Boss De Lima" or "case fixer" in Urbiztondo, Pangasinan, by well-known politicians.
De Lima, in her press conference, came out with a copy of Duterte's matrix with hand-written notes and "corrections." She pointed out how none of the arrows pointed to her and noting that the three arrows near her name were pointing outward.
She said two or three of the people being linked to her in the matrix only used to be her colleagues, but could not be considered connected or close to her.
De Lima points out mistakes in drug matrix. "This is worst matrix of all time. Even 12yo can draw this!" @gmanews pic.twitter.com/HjFiGPn8GA
— Mark Merueñas (@marcmeru) August 25, 2016
"Lahat din ng arrow tumuturo sa isang tao - kay Governor Amado Espino. Pinapalabas ba nila na indirectly, nagre-report ako kay Gov. Espino?" she said.
Espino
The matrix described Espino as "the richest politician in Northern Luzon" and one who "has amassed unexplained wealth."
In her press conference, De Lima said she has filed a murder case against Espino when she was secretary of the Department of Justice and he governor of Pangasinan. The case, however, was dismissed.
"Ngayon sasabihin, kasabwat ko siya? Grabe talaga sila kung mag-imbento ng kuwento. Sobrang katawa-tawa ito!" she said.
Baraan
De Lima also slammed a major broadsheet for running what she described as a "grossly misleading" headline about former Justice Undersecretary Baraan supposedly tagging her in the illegal drugs trade.
"Ano basis nung press statement ni Undersecretary Baraan? Kung ire-review ang statement ni Usec Baraan, nothing there allegedly tagging me," she said.
She said she plans to bring the matter to the attention of the newspaper by writing its editors a letter.
In the matrix, Baraan is described as a "trusted USEC" of De Lima who supervised the Bureau of Corrections, which maintains the NBP. —KBK, GMA News
