De Lima confronts Duterte over drug lord tag: 'Absolutely false'

Former senator Leila de Lima on Wednesday called out former President Rodrigo Duterte for allegedly painting her as the "mother of all drug lords," saying he just used her as a scapegoat for the illegal drug menace.

"That [allegation] is absolutely false. That is fictitious. They filed cases against me, consummation in illegal drug trade, amended it to conspiracy to [commit illegal drug trade], absuwelto na po ako sa tatlo. Wala po akong kinalaman sa illegal drugs," De Lima said before the House QuadComm probe on the drug war.

(That [allegation] is absolutely false. That is fictitious. They filed cases against me, consummation in illegal drug trade, amended it to conspiracy to [commit illegal drug trade]. I've been cleared in three cases. I don't have anything to do with illegal drugs.)

De Lima made the response after Duterte said he agreed with authorities quoted in a news report who tagged De Lima as the mother of all drug lords, saying that "I want to congratulate them for making that statement."

During the early months of the Duterte administration, former deputy directors of the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) Reynaldo Esmeralda and Ruel Lasala filed complaints against De Lima for violation of Republic Act 9165 or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act, claiming that the senator was the "mother of all drug lords."

However, De Lima told the House joint panel that "They used me as a propaganda so they can use a prominent figure to be the center of attention here and abroad, that this woman is the mother of all drug lords."

De Lima said her accusers, which included convicts and former government officials, have all ultimately retracted their allegations against her.

"Binawi nila lahat [ng sinabi nila]. I was cleared in three drug cases, underwent through the process, kahit mahirap, masakit, kinulong nila ako ng seven years, and they cannot take it back due to the mastermind of my persecution, implemented by then-Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre at iba pang kumausap sa mga nagtestigo sa akin with absolute slanderous accusation," De Lima said.

(They retracted everything they said. I was cleared in three drug cases, underwent through the process, even though it was tough, painful. They jailed me for seven years. And they cannot take it back due to the [actions of the] mastermind of my persecution, implemented by then-Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre and others who spoke with individuals who stood as witnesses against me with absolute slanderous accusations.)

De Lima, who also led the probe on drug war killings during her stint as senator, spent nearly seven years in prison before being cleared of the drug charges.

Last June, a Muntinlupa court granted her demurrer to evidence, effectively dismissing her third and final drug case.

The former senator was freed on bail in November 2023 after being detained in Camp Crame since February 2017 over drug allegations.

Her first acquittal came in February 2021 when the Muntinlupa City RTC-Branch 205 junked one of her three cases.

In May 2023, the Muntinlupa RTC Branch 204 acquitted De Lima and Ronnie Dayan, her co-accused and former bodyguard, of an illegal drug trading charge on the ground of reasonable doubt.

Earlier, a Quezon City court also dismissed De Lima’s two disobedience cases. — VDV, GMA Integrated News