PNP to probe claim of police pressure in De Lima case

Sen. Leila de Lima. (INQUIRER FILE PHOTO)

MANILA, Philippines — The Philippine National Police on Monday said it would look into the recent statements of confessed drug lord Kerwin Espinosa who claimed he was threatened by the police to link opposition Sen. Leila de Lima into the illegal drug trade.

The Internal Affairs Service and the Directorate for Investigation and Detective Management will investigate the matter, outgoing PNP chief Gen. Dionardo Carlos told reporters on Monday.

He said, however, that these statements were not the only basis of the case against De Lima, who has been in jail since 2017 on charges linking her to business drug operations at New Bilibid Prison.

“Then we look at it, those are not the only basis of the case. It’s not just the sworn statement of Espinosa. There are other [pieces of] evidence and affidavit that are part of the proceedings,” Carlos said.

Espinosa recanted his accusations and apologized to De Lima in a counteraffidavit subscribed before the Department of Justice last week.

In the sworn statement, it was specified that “any and all” of Espinosa’s statements against De Lima were “not true” and it was only the result of “pressure, coercion, intimidation and serious threats” from the police.

Former Bureau of Corrections officer in charge Rafael Ragos has also retracted his testimony against De Lima, saying that he was “coerced” by then Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II into testifying against the senator.

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