CONTROVERSIAL PHOTO Sen. Leila de Lima is shown with suspected drug lord Kerwin Espinosa in this photo taken in March in Baguio City. The senator denies knowing Espinosa and his father. CONTRIBUTED PHOTO
Senator Leila de Lima vehemently denied on Tuesday receiving a single centavo from suspected drug lord Kerwin Espinosa directly or indirectly.
“Oh my goodness gracious!” De Lima said when told about Espinosa’s alleged claim that he had given her a total of P8 million in exchange for “protection.”
READ: Pacquiao: Kerwin claims giving P8M ‘protection money’ to De Lima
De Lima was justice secretary before she was elected senator last May.
“So nili-link na naman nila kay Dayan (they’re linking it again to Dayan)?” she said, referring to her former driver, Ronnie Dayan, who was allegedly contacting Espinosa to collect money for her.
But De Lima noted that Dayan was never mentioned in the affidavit of Espinosa’s father, slain Albuera, Leyte Mayor Rolando Espinosa Sr.
“I’m teling you, I have not received a single centavo from Kerwin Espinosa whether directly or indirectly in any instance in the same manner that I have not received a single centavo from the so-called drug lords, drug convicts na nag-testify sa House inquiry. Lahat po ito ay malaking kasinungalingan (who testified at the House inquiry. All these are huge lies),” she said.
READ: 2 senators on Kerwin Espinosa’s drug list—Sandra Cam
The senator also denied that she had instructed Dayan to collect money for her.
“Hindi po totoo yan. Wala pong nakikipag meet dyan kay Espinosa dahil unang-una hindi ko nga po kilala yan so bakit ako mag-uutos ng kung sino man na i-meet sya, kausapin sya para humingi ng pera na in the first place na hindi ko nga kilala (That’s not true. No one has met with Espinosa because in the first place, I don’t know him so why would I instruct someone to meet with him and ask money from him?),” de Lima said.
De Lima reiterated that she did not know ay member of the Espinosa family, including the slain mayor, and that she could not remember meeting Kerwin himself. RAM/rga