PNP to look into activities of De Lima’s driver

Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Director Gen. Ronald “Bato” de la Rosa on Wednesday said they would be looking into the activities of Sen. Leila de Lima’s driver whom President Duterte accused of collecting money from the New Bilibid Prisons.

“To satisfy you, I will conduct my investigation,” De la Rosa told reporters after Duterte called out a lady senator, whom he later identified as De Lima, in his speech at the 115th police service anniversary celebration in Camp Crame.

Duterte earlier called the lady senator an “immoral woman” who had an affair with her driver who collected money from Muntinlupa, referring to Bilibid, for her during the campaign period.

“Here is an immoral woman, insofar as the driver’s wife is concerned, it’s adultery. Here’s a woman who funded a house of a lover and yet we don’t see any complaint about it,” the President said.

But until Duterte gives them a formal order to launch a probe, De la Rosa said the PNP would not meddle in the personal affairs of De Lima.

“Sa ngayon, hindi kami nakikialam baka mamaya gawing personal issue against us eh haharap pa naman kami sa Senado. Hindi kami nakikialam dyan,” De la Rosa said.

The Senate has summoned De la Rosa and other PNP officials as it conducts an inquiry on extrajudicial killings on Aug. 22 and 23.

De Lima, a former human rights commissioner, has been a staunch critic of President Duterte and his leadership style of encouraging cops to kill drug suspects without due process.

Asked if Duterte’s revelation would affect the police when they face the senator, De la Rosa said: “Affect me? No, naka-focus kami sa issue. ‘Yung side issues, iba ‘yan. Doon kami naka-focus sa subject.”

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