FILE PHOTO: Senator Leila de Lima. INQUIRER FILES
MANILA, Philippines — Detained Duterte administration critic, Senator Leila de Lima, on Tuesday slammed convicted drug lord Herbert Colanggo for spreading “fairy tales” and “easily conceived lies” amid drug charges against her.
De Lima said Colanggo seems to “enjoy the spotlight” as he spoke to the media or take the witness stand, even asserting the convict was “actually savoring every moment of his role in this charade.”
Colanggo said in a television interview that he will not recant his testimonies against the opposition senator. The same news report also stated that the camp of Colanggo claimed about a group approaching witnesses to weaken the case against de Lima.
But De Lima called the claim of Colanggo’s camp “easily conceived lies.”
“This is the problem when the government 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,” she said in a series of tweets.
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 (@AttyLeiladeLima) 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 Colanggo without any hesitation,” she added.
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 Colanggo without any hesitation; 2/3
— Leila de Lima (@AttyLeiladeLima) June 14, 2022
De Lima said Colanggo’s claims were “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.”
Prior to Colanggo’s statement, several witnesses against de Lima have recanted their earlier testimonies linking the detained senator to the illegal trade. The witnesses asserted they were coerced into testifying against de Lima.
“I have no ill feelings towards the convicted criminals who were coerced or bribed to falsely testify against me. But when this is done with relish and gusto, like how Herbert Colanggo seems to enjoy the spotlight, whether when speaking to the media or on the witness stand, then that is another matter altogether,” de Lima said.
But when this is done with relish and gusto, like how Herbert Colanggo seems to enjoy the spotlight, whether when speaking to the media or on the witness stand, then that is another matter altogether. 2/3
— Leila de Lima (@AttyLeiladeLima) June 14, 2022
“Colanggo is actually savoring 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 added.
Colanggo 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. 3/3
— Leila de Lima (@AttyLeiladeLima) June 14, 2022
De Lima further said that Colanggo has become the only witness who seemed to have a better image even after confessing to being a drug lord.
Following a court hearing on Monday, the Colanggo camp said the convicted drug lord will testify against de Lima at the next court hearing on June 27.
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