De Lima: So what was the House inquiry for?

By: Tarra Quismundo - 8 years ago

Opposition Senator Leila De Lima holds some documents as she questions witnesses at the resumption of the Philippine Senate probe on extrajudicial killings in the continuing "war on drugs" campaign of President Rodrigo Duterte Monday, Oct. 3, 2016 in suburban Pasay city, south of Manila, Philippines. The Philippine Senate's Committee on Justice and Human Rights, has invited witnesses to look into the possible human rights violations and extrajudicial killings in Davao city when Duterte was still the city mayor as well as the current "war on drugs" campaign by the present administration. (AP Photo/Bullit Marquez)

Senator Leila De Lima. AP File Photo

MANILA, Philippines— If they were not going to prosecute her anyway, what was the point of the inquiry?

Sen. Leila de Lima had this question when asked to comment on the House committee on justice’s decision to not recommend her prosecution for her alleged drug links, noting that the lengthy public hearings may have just been meant to shame her.

“Of course, it’s good if that’s the case,” said De Lima, when told of the House committee’s resolve to not recommend charges against her.

“But remember, their inquiry was focused on me. So para que ‘yon (So what was that for)?” said the senator.

In testimonies touted by administration allies, high profile convicts and even former National Bureau of Investigation officials accused De Lima of receiving money — and even imposing quotas — from illegal drug operations at the national penitentiary during her time as Justice Secretary.

De Lima shunned the inquiry, calling it a sham only meant to embarrass her as she repeatedly denied the claims.

“They practically focused on me, and not really on the real problems of Bilibid. And now they’re saying they’re not gonna prosecute me or not gonna recommend to prosecute me. I don’t know, but until we see the report of the house committee and its recommendations, it’s hard to comment on that,” she said.

But if such was the ending, why “villify” her in the first place?

“So what was the whole point of that inquiry? To shame me? They concentrated on personal matters to the point na parang binabastos na rin ako? To the point that they threatened to show the alleged sex video?” De Lima said.

“So what was that all about? That’s why I was saying from day 1, I wasn’t going to participate in that inquiry because I knew that the main objective of that is really just to villify me,” she said.

During the house inquiry, several witnesses, including her own former aide, testified about her alleged romantic entanglements, even describing in detail an alleged intimate act involving the senator.

She denied the allegations about her personal affairs as vehemently as she denied claims that she was involved in the Bilibid drug trade. JE/rga