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De Lima co-accused in drug case nabbed in Pampanga
Government agents on Friday arrested a co-accused of detained oppositon senator Leila de Lima, according to Isa Avendaño-Umali's report on Dobol B sa News TV.
Jose Adrian Dera, reportedly De Lima's nephew and former aide, was arrested by National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) agents in Pampanga after two years in hiding.
FLASH REPORT: Isa sa mga co-accused ni Sen. @SenLeiladeLima sa kasong illegal drug trade sa New Bilibid Prison o NBP na si Jose Adrian Vera, arestado ng NBI. | via @Isa_Umali pic.twitter.com/gHv3qjYghG
— DZBB Super Radyo (@dzbb) August 16, 2019
Umali tweeted that the arrest was confirmed by NBI Deputy Director Ferdinand Lavin.
A subject of an arrest warrant issued by the Muntinlupa Regional Trial Court, Dera, Lavin was quoted as saying, was arrested at 5:40 a.m.
Sought for comment, De Lima's communication officer Ferdie Maglalang said they have no formal statement as of yet but pointed out that Dera was neither the senator's nephew nor former aide.
Ferdie Maglalang, chief media and communications officer ni @SenLeiladeLima
— DZBB Super Radyo (@dzbb) August 16, 2019
: No statement yet from the Senator but please recall that as early as 2017, she has already denied knowing Dera. | via @Isa_Umali
In a statement in 2017, De Lima said: "I do not know MR. DERA at all. He is not a nephew or a relative of mine of any degree. He has not worked for me as an aide or in any capacity."
TINGNAN: Ito ang dating statement ni @SenLeiladeLima noong 2017 kung kailan kanyang itinanggi na kilala niya si Jose Adrian Dera. @dzbb
— Isa Avendaño-Umali (@Isa_Umali) August 16, 2019
Photo credit: Office of @SenLeiladeLima pic.twitter.com/Z6f90z1eG8
De Lima and Dera are accused of soliciting money worth P3 million and four vehicles from a high-profile inmate of the New Bilibid Prison supposedly for De Lima’s Senate run in 2016.
A fierce critic of President Rodrigo Duterte, De Lima allegedly collected millions of pesos in drug money from NBP inmates in 2012 and 2013 when she was secretary of the Department of Justice.
De Lima, currently detained in Camp Crame, has denied the allegations, saying she is a victim of political persecution. —KBK, GMA News
