De Lima pushes Senate probe on summary killings

Amid  allegations  linking her  to illegal drugs,  Senator Leila de Lima  proceeded with the Senate investigation on the recent  alleged  rampant extrajudicial killings and summary executions of suspected criminals  since  President  Rodrigo Duterte took office.

As chair of  the Senate  committee on justice and human rights  violations, De Lima assured the public that she would be  fair in the hearings.

“This is  a public  inquiry. This is basically fact-finding. This is truth telling. This is not a court of law but simply a fact finding body,” she said in an interview on CNN Philippines ahead of the hearing.

“I am  a fair,  professional and responsible  public official so I guarantee everyone that as the presiding officer  of this inquiry, I will conduct the  proceedings in the  most professional manner   giving due courtesy and respect to our resource persons and witnesses  because that’s in fact  provided in our own rules,”  De Lima added.

Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Director General Ronald “Bato” De la Rosa and other police officials  and purported witnesses were  among the  invited resource persons  in the hearing.

De Lima  earlier  insinuated that  President  Duterte’s accusations against her  were  probably meant to stop her from conducting the  Senate probe.

Duterte called  the lady senator an “immoral woman” for allegedly having an affair with her driver, who had  supposedly collected  drug money for her campaign.  De Lima  has repeatedly denied  allegations linking her to illegal  drugs./rga

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