MANILA — President Duterte is not at all done with Sen. Leila de Lima.
He promised to release a “matrix” showing her alleged links to drug lords at the New Bilibid Prison.
“I will show you, maybe this week the matrix— I’m just validating— the matrix of Muntinlupa connection. De Lima is there… It would show her role there,” Mr. Duterte told reporters in an ambush interview.
De Lima, he said, was the highest ranking official in the chart, though he did not specify the role she played.
“Just look at the matrix,” he said.
He also answered in the affirmative when asked if former Justice Undersecretary Francisco Baraan was included.
Also in the chart was a governor, who he said was his friend.
“I could not believe it,” he added.
Mr. Duterte earlier alleged that De Lima’s driver, who was also supposedly her lover, had collected payoffs for her.
The senator, a staunch critic of the President, had vehemently denied the allegation and said she would be willing to resign and get shot if real evidence linking her to illegal narcotics were found.
She also warned Mr. Duterte that he would lose face if he continued to insist on alleging that she was involved in he drug trade.
De Lima is currently heading a Senate inquiry on extrajudicial killings being linked to the administration’s campaign against illegal drugs.
Mr. Duterte said he was not keeping tabs on the hearing, shown live over most TV stations.
“I don’t want to know [what’s happening], because I don’t want to meddle with that,” he said.
He also said he rarely watched TV, except for the news. SFM