MANILA — Ronnie Dayan, the former driver-bodyguard of Senator Leila de Lima, on Tuesday night said he received money from Roland “Kerwin” Espinosa Jr., five times on behalf of the lawmaker in 2014, when she was still the secretary of justice.
Dayan’s admission came after House Majority Leader Rodolfo Fariñas asked him about Espinosa during a press briefing. (Dayan was brought to the House of Representatives in preparation for a House committee hearing on drug trafficking.)
Fariñas threw in the question about Espinosa after Dayan denied getting drug money, when a reporter asked him about it, and did most of the asking about Espinosa and de Lima.
“Eh, yung si Kerwin?” Fariñas asked.
“Kay Kerwin meron,” Dayan replied.
“Ano’ng meron?” Fariñas pursued.
“Meron akong natatanggap… para kay senadora po,” Dayan said.
According to Dayan, De Lima “naturally” knew about the money because it was the “order” of the senator.
Dayan said Espinosa gave the money before De Lima decided to run for senator in the May 2016 elections.
“I no longer counted [the money] when it was given to me. When it was given to me, I just put it in the car and left it in the car… I am sure she looked at it,” Dayan said.
Dayan resigned from De Lima’s employ in 2014. SFM
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