In Senate hearing, Dayan makes key retractions from House testimony

Ronnie Dayan, the former driver-bodyguard of Sen. Leila de Lima, was cited for contempt by the Senate for being evasive in answering questions from senators on Monday.

Dayan, however, was not only evasive but also made key retractions in his previous testimony at the House of Representatives, where he was given legislative immunity in exchange for telling the truth.

Last November 24, Dayan told a House inquiry that he never received money from former Bureau of Corrections officer-in-charge Rafael Ragos that was supposedly meant for his former boss, De Lima.

Dayan said he first met Ragos while the latter was still an official at the National Bureau of Investigation, and added that he [Dayan] acted as as "tulay [bridge]" so he [Ragos] could get a promotion.

"Pero iyun pong salaysay ni Sir Ragos na sinasabi niyang ako daw ang tumatanggap ng P3 million, P5 million, 1.6 million na pera ay hindi po totoo. Hindi po ako tumatanggap kay Sir Ragos ng ganung halaga," said Dayan.

On Monday's Senate inquiry, however, Dayan made a 180-degree turn and took back his House testimony about Ragos.

Facing senators for the first time since being arrested in La Union, Dayan said he actually had received money not only from Ragos but also from former BuCor director Franklin Jesus Bucayu.

Dayan said he got between P15,000 and P30,000 from the two BuCor officials in exchange for a recommendation for them to be appointed to their posts.

But the retraction did not stop there. Dayan also took back an earlier statement in the House inquiry that he met alleged Eastern Visayas drug lord Kerwin Espinosa on four occasions in 2014 to pick up money on behalf of De Lima. The last meet-up happened in Baguio in November 2014, Dayan said.

Dayan’s claim had clashed with Kerwin’s, who said that he met with De Lima at Burnham Park in Baguio City in November of 2015. Dayan insisted he could not have met Kerwin in late 2015 because he had already resigned as driver-bodyguard by that time.

On Monday, however, Dayan revised his testimony to finally become consistent with Kerwin's statement.

After looking at Facebook photos of De Lima at Burnham Park in November 2015, Dayan confirmed that the photos were taken that year.

“Naalala mo na?” said Sen. Richard Gordon to which Dayan replied “Opo, your honor.”

“So 2015?” Gordon said. Dayan then said: “Opo, your honor, 2015.”

Inconsistencies in House testimony

Congressmen and congresswomen earlier criticized Dayan for making statements inconsistent with those of Kerwin, who had already testified at the Senate the day before the House inquiry attended by Dayan.

Espinosa had claimed that the first delivery of cash happened on the fourth floor of the SM Mall of Asia parking lot.

However, Dayan said the delivery of the money at that parking lot was already their fourth meet-up.

Dayan also recounted that Espinosa asked him to just call him by his nickname, "Batman" on their third meeting, and not earlier, as claimed by Espinosa.

Dayan and Espinosa also had conflicting statements about the venue of their meeting in Baguio City.

Espinosa said he pulled over just behind Dayan's car at the parking lot of the Burnham Park.

However, Dayan said the delivery happened at the parking lot of the "Alexandria Residences" where Espinosa was staying.

Dayan said he and Espinosa met up five times, while Espinosa said they met only four times.

Dayan also denied ever knowing Chief Inspector Jovie Espenido, whom Espinosa claimed was the one who introduced him to Dayan. —NB, GMA News