De Lima to Dayan: Forget our past, tell the truth

Senator Leila de Lima on Tuesday appealed to her former bodyguard-driver and lover, Ronnie Dayan, to set aside whatever grudges he’s holding against her and just tell the truth.

“‘Yung kalimutan na muna ‘yung naging relasyon natin, isipin niya yung bayan and dapat magpakatotoo siya,” De Lima said, as she recalled an earlier statement made by Dayan that she failed to help him.

Dayan earlier said he did not receive any financial assistance from De Lima while he was in hiding.

De Lima said Dayan may have tried to contact her from a personal number she was no longer using after a House committee probing her for her alleged drug links disclosed her number to the public.

De Lima said she felt pity for Dayan, who faced the Senate public order and dangerous drugs committee Monday.

“More of awa. Kahit ganun ang ginagawa na sumasama siya diyan sa kasinungalingan na yan. I know na hindi niya ‘yan gagawin kung walang compelling reason and more on takot sa buhay niya at sa pamilya niya,” De Lima said.

De Lima earlier admitted having a romantic affair with Dayan; while Dayan said their relationship lasted for seven years.

De Lima also welcomed the move of his colleagues to let Dayan go after being cited in contempt by the Senate committee for being evasive.

“Salamat naman at they realized na mali yung move na yun,” she said. She said she deliberately did not oppose the motion to cite Dayan in contempt so as not to be accused of being “overprotective” of his former bodyguard-driver.

“I did not really understand why they really have to do that, why did my colleagues have to ask for that, to cite him in contempt, walang basehan yan,” De Lima added.

Senator Panfilo Lacson, chairman of the Senate committee, said they decided to let Dayan return to his family in the province for “humanitarian considerations.” — VVP, GMA News