Peter Co: De Lima ‘kin’ demanded millions, cars for senatorial run
High profile inmate and drug lord Peter Co confers on his lawyer for translation as he testifies before the Congress’ Committee on Justice on drug trade inside National Bilibid Prison in House of Representatives, Quezon City.INQUIRER PHOTO / RICHARD A. REYES
Convicted drug lord Peter Co on Monday said a supposed nephew of Sen. Leila De Lima had asked for millions and vehicles for the latter’s senatorial campaign in exchange of the release of his niece and her husband, who were arrested in an anti-drug operation in 2014.
In his testimony during the House probe on drug proliferation in the national penitentiary, Co said De Lima’s nephew, which he identified as “Jad,” demanded P5 million as exchange for his relatives’ release.
“Noong March 25, 2016 dinalaw ako ng aking pamangkin. Matapos nilang umalis, nakatanggap ako ng tawag at sinabi na hinuli daw ang aking pamangkin, kasama ang kanyang asawa at 4 na tao pa. Nasa Bicutan daw at kung hindi ako magbibigay ng P5 million ay kakasuhan sila ng paglabag sa droga,” Co said in his translated affidavit.
“Dahil hindi ako magaling mag-Tagalog, nagpatulong ako kay Hans Tan at siya ang nakipag-usap doon sa tao. Napag-alaman ko na pamangkin ito ni DOJ Secretary Leila de Lima at “Jad” ang pangalan. Tinawaran ko ang halaga na hinihingi at umutang ako sa kaibigan ko ng P1 million. Sa panahong iyon, nagka-casino ang kaibigan kon ito at doon mismo sa casino ibinigay ang cash na isang milyon kay Jad. Dinagdagan ko pa ito ng P1 million na idineposito sa bank account ng kapatid ng isa nilang dinukot,” he added.
Tan, a murder convict, earlier identified De Lima’s alleged nephew as a certain Jose Adrian Dera, who also supposedly served as her security aide. Tan, who also testified in the congressional inquiry, said he had evidence of his transactions with Dera.
Co said Dera also demanded vehicles and an additional P3 million for De Lima’s senatorial run, with the assurance that his relatives will no longer be arrested.
“At dahil kailangan nila ng sasakyan para sa kampanya ni Secretary De Lima ay kinuha din ang apat kong sasakyan. Ang mga sasakyang ito ay isang Honda Civic na kulay silver, isang Honda City na kulay itim, isang Toyota Vios na kulay itim at isang Toyota Innova na kulay black,” he said.
“Noong March 26, 2016, tumawag si Jad sa pamangkin kong si Sally na magdagdag pa ng tatlong milyong piso para sa pagtakbo sa Senado ni dating DOJ Sec. De Lima. Kapalit nito sinuguradi nila na hindi kikidnapin uli ang pamilya ko at magiging ligtas ako sa loob ng Bilibid,” Co added. JE
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