Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II said there are 13 witnesses lined up to testify before the House of Representatives’ inquiry on the proliferation of illegal drugs inside the New Bilibid Prison (NBP).
Among the witnesses are National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) Deputy Director Rafael Ragos who executed a supplemental affidavit stating that the delivery of money was more than twice–the other instances were deliveries to Senator Leila de Lima’s driver and alleged lover Ronnie Dayan.
Another witness to appear is a member of the Presidential Security Group (PSG) and De Lima’s former aide to testify about De Lima’s relationship with her driver.
Aguirre said two other witnesses is a police officer who sent a letter President Rodrigo Duterte informing him about the missing P300 million seized by De Lima during the December 2014 raid. Another witness is a police’s asset, an inmate inside the NBP.
The Justice Chief said they are not pinning De Lima down.
He clarified that the investigation is about why and how illegal drugs trade proliferated inside prison.
“We are not particularizing Sen. De Lima,” Aguirre said adding that there are other personalities like former Justice Undersecretary Francisco Baraan and former Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) Jesus Bucayu.
Aguirre said the only reason why the probe appears to zero in on De Lima is because she is more prominent than the other names identified by their witnesses.
“Kasi si Sen. De Lima ang most prominent…at madaldal sya kasi (She’s the most prominent, and she talks a lot),” Aguirre added at a press conference. CDG
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