De Lima: My reputation, record as public official speak for itself

Embattled Senator Leila de Lima on Tuesday said her reputation and record as a public official can speak for itself, following Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II’s statement that he will use the senator’s admission of her romantic affair with her former driver against her.

“Ito lang masasagot ko, my record as a public official first as CHR chair and next as secretary of Justice, speaks for itself,” De Lima said, as she initially refused to answer questions from the media about her romantic affair with her former driver, Ronnie Dayan.

“My reputation has been untarnished until now when it’s being unfairly and unjustly besmirched by all of these fabricated lies about my alleged involvement in the drug trade,” she added.

Up until the television interview which aired on GMA News TV's "Bawal ang Pasaway with Mareng Winnie" on Monday night, De Lima had neither confirmed nor denied her special relationship with Dayan, which the senator said lasted for a "few years."

De Lima described her involvement with her driver as "frailties of a woman."

The senator had been accused of receiving payoffs from drug lords inside the New Bilibid Prison (NBP) through Dayan, among others.

Aguirre, in a text message, said De Lima’s admission of a romantic affair with Dayan has bolstered the Department of Justice (DOJ) to pin her down on the proliferation of illegal drugs.

"Malaki kasi sa pag-amin niya, the probability na talagang ginamit niya si Dayan sa pagkolekta ng pera sa NBP ay naging lalong kapani-paniwala," Aguirre said.

Asked about Aguirre’s statement, De Lima said: “No. That’s his opinion.”

“It’s a private matter. I’m never comfortable responding about private matters,” she said. — RSJ, GMA News