Sen. Leila de Lima on Tuesday called on authorities to accord proper treatment to her former driver and bodyguard, expressing concern about his arrest some three months after President Duterte tagged him in the illegal drug trade operating out of New Bilibid Prison when she was justice secretary.
“It is not unknown to many that Ronnie Dayan has long been wanted because of his involvement in illegal drugs in Bilibid. With President Duterte at the lead, there is an effort to dig up the relationship we had and to make the public believe that he was my bagman,” De Lima said in a statement.
“I hope that he will be given proper treatment by authorities,” De Lima said.
She made the same appeal for other witnesses against her, including alleged drug lord Kerwin Espinosa, whose father, Mayor Rolando Espinosa Sr., died in a police raid on his cell in what several senators have described as an extrajudicial killing.
“I have the same appeal to the President for all others who will testify against me, including Kerwin Espinosa. You are after me. Do not give them a hard time, whether they are criminals or not,” De Lima said.
She reiterated her innocence, adding that her accusers should bring the charges in court.
“Just as I’ve said before, I am ready to face any court to prove that there is no truth to all allegations against me. I did not receive a single cent from the illegal drug trade. All my life, especially in public service, I never benefited from any form of corruption, because I could never betray public trust,” she said in a statement written in Filipino.
Sen. Leila de Lima leaves her office and the Senate building as news crew sought her for comments on the arrest of her former driver and bodyguard Ronnie Dayan in La Union. INQUIRER PHOTO/LYN RILLON
“I also hope you won’t make a drama out of all efforts to destroy me. Just file the cases in court and I will face you there,” she said, addressing officials of the Duterte administration.
“To all Filipinos, let us be vigilant and discerning about what is happening in our society. I hope that, in the end, the truth will come out,” she said.
Speaking to reporters, De Lima said she would attend today’s hearing of the Senate committee on public order and dangerous drugs on the Nov. 5 slay of Espinosa’s father Rolando, the mayor of Albuera, Leyte, under questionable circumstances while in jail.