Duterte: De Lima deserves to be in prison

Detained Sen. Leila de Lima is not a prisoner of conscience, President Rodrigo Duterte said Friday.

In a speech before the Filipino community in Jordan, the President maintained that De Lima is involved in the illegal drug trade and is not politically persecuted.

“De Lima? I-release ko raw, kasi prisoner of conscience. Ang bulong sa akin sa mga pinupuntahan ko baka you can do something about it. De Lima? Di naman akin yan,” Duterte said.

“Internationally, she is considered as a prisoner of conscience because of trumped up charges. Eh pulis ang nag-imbestiga sa kanya. Nagtestify sa kanya, 'yung partner niya. Prisoner of conscience? Prisoner of libog [lust]!,” Duterte added to the approval of the audience.

Duterte was referring to de Lima's former boyfriend and aide, Ronnie Dayan.

The senator has been detained in PNP Custodial Center since February 2017 on charges that she benefited from the drug trade in the New Bilibid Prison during her tenure as Justice Secretary under the Aquino administration.

De Lima is a staunch critic of Duterte, particularly of the President's anti-drug war, which already caused up to 20,000 deaths based on the count of local and international human rights groups.

Last Tuesday, government prosecutors failed to present a witness against De Lima during Tuesday's Muntinlupa Regional Trial Court hearing on the drug charges leveled against the detained lawmaker.

De Lima's counsel Boni Tacardon claimed that the prosecution dilly-dallied on whose witness to present in the first place, causing the delay.

“Gusto nilang baguhin yung sequence ng presentation ng witness nang hindi man lang kami sinabihan. Nag-file sila ng manifestation last Thursday lang. Ang gusto nilang i-present si Durano, pero sa pre-trial order namin ang sabi doon ang una nilang witness si General Magalong. Kaya nagalit si Judge [Amelia Fabros-Cruz],” Tacardon told reporters who were not allowed to enter the court room.

Tacardon was referring to Bilibid inmate Engelberto Durano and retired police director Benjamin Magalong.

“Dapat dinala nila si Magalong ngayon para mag-testify. Napilitan [tuloy] ngayon ang prosecution na i-present si General Magalong saka si General Valeroso sa susunod na hearing, Tuesday, September 11. This is a failure ng prosecution to present its witness today kasi gusto nilang baguhin 'yung sequence,” Tacardon said. — BAP, GMA News