Albay Rep. Edcel Lagman. INQUIRER.net FILE PHOTO/RYAN LEAGOGO
Albay Rep. Edcel Lagman on Tuesday expressed fear Ronnie Dayan might be forced to testify against Senator Leila de Lima, with whom he had been implicated in the alleged drug trade at the New Bilibid Prisons.
In a press briefing by the minority bloc at the House of Representatives, Lagman said he would be wary of moves to coerce Dayan to testify against De Lima, who admitted her romance with Dayan but denied the drug links.
READ: Ronnie Dayan arrested in La Union
“He might be coerced to testify against those who have been chastised by the administration for involvement in the narcotics trade. That should make us worry and wary,” Lagman said.
Dayan was arrested in La Union at about 11:30 a.m. Tuesday after he was cited in contempt for snubbing the House of Representatives inquiry in aid of legislation on the proliferation of drugs at the national penitentiary implicating De Lima.
Lagman said he was not saying there was a trend of witnesses being coerced to testify against De Lima but a witness being forced to testify has been done before.
“A witness could be coerced to make a confession and point to personages. That’s nothing new. That has happened before,” Lagman told the Inquirer.
“Hindi ko naman sinasabing it’s a trend, but it’s being used to facilitate indictment,” he added.
Bilibid inmates who testified in the House inquiry tagged Dayan as the one who allegedly collected millions of pesos in kickbacks for De Lima from the drug trade for her senatorial campaign bid.
READ: House cites Ronnie Dayan in contempt; arrest order out
De Lima has vehemently denied the allegation, pointing out that allies of President Rodrigo Duterte had an ax to grind against her since she crossed swords with Duterte. De Lima as human rights chair investigated the alleged links of Duterte to the Davao Death Squad when the latter was mayor.
De Lima has admitted having an affair with Dayan, saying both of them were separated from their marriages at the time. De Lima has also expressed fears Dayan might be forced to testify against her. CBB/rga
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