Ronnie Dayan's Senate appearance set for Dec. 5

After testifying in a hearing at the House of Representatives last week, Ronnie Dayan, Senator Leila de Lima's former driver-bodyguard with whom she had an affair that spanned several years, will attend a Senate hearing next.

According to Senator Panfilo Lacson, chairman of the Senate Committee on Public Order and Dangerous Drugs, Dayan is set to testify on their hearing scheduled on December 5, Monday.

Lacson's committee is investigating the killing of Albuera, Leyte Mayor Rolando Espinosa during an alleged shootout with the police inside his detention cell in Leyte earlier this month.

Last week, the Senate panel quizzed Espinosa's son, alleged drug lord Kerwin, over the illegal drug trade in the country and the people behind it. In his testimony, Espinosa implicated police officials and insisted that his father was killed in a rubout.

He also testified giving money to De Lima through Dayan, who confirmed his transactions with Espinosa — though with some inconsistencies — in last week's hearing at the House of Representatives.

Lacson said Espinosa would be called back to the Senate inquiry, increasing the possibility of a face-off between him and Dayan.

"Ibabalik [si Kerwin[ para i-resolve nila iyong inconsistencies," said Lacson, referring to Espinosa's claim that it was Albuera police head Chief Insp. Jovie Espenido who introduced him to Dayan.

Dayan has denied knowing Espenido.

"So sino nag-introduce kanino?" said Lacson.

Lacson said the discrepancies in the dates of when money changed hands between Dayan and Espinosa are expected to be resolved soon. Espinosa claimed his meet-ups with Dayan happened between 2015 and 2016, while Dayan said they happened in 2014.

"Iyong dates, mukhang resolved na iyan. Kasi si Dayan will... Parang naisip niya na hindi talaga 2014 but 2015. Mukhang mare-resolve na iyong issue ng discrepancy ng pag-uusap nila," said Lacson.

The lawmaker said a police officer from the regional police of the Cordillera Autonomous Region would be invited to the inquiry to testify on the logbook of the hotel where Espinosa stayed during their meet-up in Baguio in November 2015.

Lacson vowed not to dwell on De Lima and Dayan's relationship, saying he was more interested on the truth behind the killing of the elder Espinosa.

Sought for comment on the December 5 scheduled appearance of Dayan, De Lima said she would most likely not attend the hearing.

"Hindi siguro. Hindi siguro. Depende, depende po iyan," said De Lima.

De Lima, however, said the discrepancies in Dayan and Espinosa's statements show that the Duterte administration's "script" was not followed.

"I'm not ruling out the possibility that after Kerwin Espinosa mayroon na namang lalantad na iba pang alleged drug lords at ako pa rin uli ang ituturo nila lalo na nasira ang kanilang script both for Kerwin Espinosa and Ronnie Dayan," she said. —KBK, GMA News