De Lima shrugs off new drug raps

Sen. Leila de Lima speaks at a Mass for Option for Life at the CBCP Chapel in Manila on Oct. 10 in celebration of the World Day Against Death Penalty. GRIG C. MONTEGRANDE/Philippine Daily Inquirer

Sen. Leila de Lima on Thursday shrugged off the new drug case against her, saying the filing of charges was “fast becoming a bad habit” of the present administration.

De Lima was reacting to the criminal complaint filed at the Department of Justice (DOJ) by the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) against her and 17 others for their alleged involvement in illegal drugs.

READ: NBI files criminal raps vs De Lima, 17 others for alleged ties to drugs

“I’m no longer surprised when this administration files trumped-up charges against me. Like their propensity for manufacturing lies, the filing of charges is fast becoming a bad habit for them. They just won’t quit until they destroy me,” she said in a statement.

“It was very clear from the very start that the evidence leveled against me in almost all forums has always been manufactured, fabricated, and the product of fantasists.”

De Lima particularly cited the testimonial and documentary evidence presented against her during the investigation of the House of Representatives, which she said had been used as basis of the NBI case against her.

She branded the alleged evidence as “nothing but fantastic lies and fairy tales” to link her to illegal drug trade.

“At the risk of sounding like a broken record, I repeat that I stand by my innocence because I only speak the truth. I shall in the proper time confront my accusers before the proper venue,” the senator said./rga