De Lima eyes legal action vs Aguirre, hits ‘men without balls’

Sen. Leila De Lima speaks at a Mass for option for life at the CBCP chapel in celebration of World Day Against Death Penalty. INQUIRER/Grig Montegrande

Beleaguered Senator Leila de Lima on Monday vowed to take the necessary legal action against Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II for placing her under an immigration lookout bulletin order (ILBO) as she also slammed the continued persecution by “these men without balls.”

De Lima said there was still no basis for a lookout bulletin since the Department of Justice (DOJ) has  not filed a case against her despite the ongoing investigation by the House of Representatives into her alleged involvement in the illegal drug trade in the New Bilibid Prison (NBP) when she was still the justice secretary.

READ: Lookout bulletin issued vs De Lima

“I don’t think a look out bulletin can be justified using a kangaroo court’s persecution of a sitting senator. I will take the necessary legal action against this latest assault on my person by my successor at the DOJ,” she said in a text message.

“Obviously, the persecution continues by these men without balls. I already dared them to arrest me, but no one came. They have already done worse, a look out bulletin at this point is just icing on their cake.”

READ: De Lima to Duterte: Arrest me now!

“I challenge this administration and the President: tatlong buwan na ninyo akong pinagtutulong tulungan gamit ang buong gobyerno, ganyan ba kayo mga kaduwag at kainutil? Mga lalake ba talaga kayo (You have been ganging up on me for three months using the entire government, are you really that coward and inutile? Do you consider yourselves men)?” the senator asked.

The lookout bulletin was issued by the DOJ against De Lima and five others allegedly involved in the proliferation of illegal drugs at the national penitentiary.

De Lima said only the court could stop her from leaving the country but she nevertheless reiterated that she would never leave to avoid the possible charges that would be filed against her.

“Huwag ho kayong mag-alala dahil wala ho akong kabalak-balak na umalis ng Pilipinas para iwasan kung ano man yung mga ihahain nyo sa akin na mga kaso dahil inosente po ako. So ang guilty lang po ang tumatakas (Don’t worry becuase I have no plans to leave the Philippines to evade whatever charges you would file against me because I’m innocent. Only the guilty flees),” she said in a separate interview at the Senate. RAM/rga