Justice Secretary Leila de Lima. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO/JOAN BONDOC
A woman who previously revealed that ranking officials of the Department of Justice (DOJ) of receiving bribe money from the Ampatuans has accused Justice Secretary Leila de Lima of receiving P5 million every month from Maguindanao Governor Esmael “Toto” Mangudadatu.
The accusation is contained in the four-page affidavit of Jerramy T. Joson where she also accuses Mangudadatu and 10 others of serious illegal detention.
Last year, Joson revealed she has in her possession a notebook containing names of Justice Undersecretary Francisco Baraan, and several prosecutors handling the Maguindanao massacre case as recipients of bribe money from the Ampatuans.
This year, she recanted her statement and said she was only forced by Mangudadatu and his lawyer Atty. Nena Santos to make such allegations.
READ: ‘Notebook bearing DOJ execs’ names bribed by Ampatuans just a fabrication’
Mangudadatu already filed libel and perjury cases against her.
Joson, meanwhile, in her complaint, said she and her child were detained and continuously briefed by Santos and another lawyer, Atty. Gemma Oquendo on what to say based on the contents of the notebook.
She said they even took her mobile phones and promised to send them back home once the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) obtains her testimony on the bribe allegation.
Joson said while she wanted to tell the authorities and her family what was happening, she said she got scared because they told her that De Lima is a good friend of Santos and that she receives P5 million monthly from Mangudadatu.
READ: De Lima on bribery witness: What is she up to?
“Gusto ko man ipaalam ang pangyayari at magsampa ng kaso noon natatakot kami sa maaaring mangyari sa pamilya ko dahil sa mataas silang mga tao at bukambibig nila na kakampi nila si DOJ Secretary Leila de Lima dahil matalik daw s’yang kaibigan ni Atty. Nena Santos at kada buwan s’yang nakakatanggap ng monthly allowance na P5 million mula kay Gov. Esmael “Toto” Mangudadatu…”Joson said in her affidavit.
(Though I wanted to reveal what was happening and file cases, we got scared of what might happen to my family because they are government officials and they would always say that DOJ Secretary Leila de Lima was their ally because she is a good friend of Atty. Nena Santos and that she receives a monthly allowance of P5 million from Gov. Esmael “Toto” Mangudadatu.)
As of posting time, INQUIRER.net is still getting reactions from De Lima and Mangudadatu. IDL