De Lima refutes Colango claim her camp pressuring him to stop testifying in courts

Detained Senator Leila de Lima on Tuesday lambasted convicted criminal Herbert Colangco's claim that he was being pressured by her camp to withdraw his testimonies against her.

"This is the problem when the [government] allows a charlatan convicted criminal like Herbert [Colangco] an interview with the media. There is no limit to the fairy tales he will invent and the lies he will tell," De Lima said in a series of tweets Tuesday.

This is the problem when the govt allows a charlatan convicted criminal like Herbert Colanggo an interview with the media. There is no limit to the fairy tales he will invent and the lies he will tell. 1/3

— Leila de Lima (@SenLeiladeLima) June 14, 2022

"That he is being pressured to stop from testifying by my camp is one of those easily conceived lies that can be blurted out by [Colangco] without any hesitation; All of it being a part of his stellar performance to grab the limelight from his fellow convicts as the real 'star witness' in the trumped-up cases against me," she added.

While she said that she harbor no ill feelings towards convicted criminals who were "coerced or bribed" to air false allegations against her, De Lima said she takes exception to those who commit this "with relish and gusto" like how Colangco "seems to enjoy the spotlight" either when speaking before the media or on the witness stand in courts.

I have no ill feelings towards the convicted criminals who were coerced or bribed to falsely testify against me. 1/3

— Leila de Lima (@SenLeiladeLima) June 14, 2022

"[Colangco] is actually savouring every moment of his role in this charade, while showing his handlers that his performance is worth every bribe and privilege that they promised him," she quipped.

The detained lawmaker also expressed disappointment at the apparent special treatment to Colangco after he confessed that he was a drug lord.

"Kailan pa naging convicted drug dealer si Herbert [Colangco]? E siya ang leader ng mamamatay-taong robbery gang na sangkot sa RCBC massacre," De Lima pointed out.

"Si Herbert [Colangco] ay katangi-tanging witness na, nung nag-confess sya as a drug lord, parang mas gumanda pa ang imahe nya. Sya ay nakulong sa salang robbery with homicide. Nagnakaw na, nang-massacre pa ng mga walang kalaban-labang empleyado ng bangko," she added.

Si Herbert Colanggo ay katangi-tanging witness na, nung nag-confess sya as a drug lord, parang mas gumanda pa ang imahe nya. Sya ay nakulong sa salang robbery with homicide. Nagnakaw na, nang-massacre pa ng mga walang kalaban-labang empleyado ng bangko.

— Leila de Lima (@SenLeiladeLima) June 14, 2022

On Monday, Colangco insisted that he would not withdraw his statements against de Lima, claiming his testimonies are true.

"Kahit sino pang Poncio Pilatong nandiyan, hindi pwede. Bakit mag-recant po ako? Ito ang katotohanan. Hawak ko. 'Di ko pagpalit sa kasinungalingan," said Colangco.

He and his representatives also claimed that a group was secretly approaching witnesses to weaken the case against de Lima.

Colangco also said that there were matters he would reveal about de Lima and their drug transactions, and these claims were supported by evidence.

Colangco continued his testimony in court on Monday, during which he reiterated that would hand over P1.2 million to Corrections Bureau Director Franklin Bucayu every month. He also testified that he would hand over money to de Lima's former aide Joenel Sanchez.

Bucayu and Sanchez had already denied Colangco's accusations in a previous congressional inquiry.

Colangco would continue his testimony on June 27.

At least two key witnesses in the drug cases filed against De Lima already recanted their allegations against the lawmaker.

Rafael Ragos, a former officer in charge of the Bureau of Corrections who testified against De Lima has retracted his statement, claiming that he was threatened by then-Justice secretary Vitaliano Aguirre into making false allegations against her.

Ragos apologized to De Lima for testifying against her and said she should be cleared of the drug charges, for which she has been detained since February 2017.

In 2016, Ragos told a Senate hearing that he delivered, along with aide Jovencio Ablen Jr., P5 million in proceeds from the illegal drug trade inside the New Bilibid Prison to De Lima's house in Parañaque City in 2012.

He also testified then that the kickbacks came from Peter Co and other drug lords to support De Lima's senatorial bid in 2013.

De Lima, who appointed Ragos as OIC of BuCor in 2012, denied the allegations.

Apart from Ragos, self-confessed drug lord Kerwin Espinosa also retracted all of his allegations against the senator, but the Prosecutor General said that his statement has no bearing on the case against her.

De Lima, a fierce critic of President Rodrigo Duterte and his deadly war on drugs, was jailed in 2017 on allegations that she was part of the illegal drug trade inside the New Bilibid Prison during her stint as Justice secretary under Benigno S. Aquino's administration. De Lima has denied the allegations.—AOL, GMA News