Ronnie Dayan, former driver of Sen. Leila de Lima, told the House of Representatives that Sen. Leila de Lima gave the P120,000 to buy the lot of his house in Urbiztondo, Pangasinan. Later, De Lima allegedly gave P2 million for the construction of the property called ‘white house’ in their neighborhood. RAY B. ZAMBRANO/INQUIRER NORTHERN LUZON
Ronnie Dayan, the alleged bagman of Senator Leila de Lima, admitted on Thursday that his former boss and lover De Lima gave him P2 million to partly finance his house in Urbiztondo, Pangasinan.
Reading his affidavit during the reopening of the House of Representatives probe into the Bilibid drug trade, Dayan said De Lima paid for P2 million to build the so-called white house in Barangay Galarin, but Dayan himself shelled out P800,000 from his own savings.
READ: Was driver given this white house by senator?
“Tungkol po sa bahay sa Pangasinan na regalo daw ni Ma’am, ang totoo ay noong 2007, humingi ako kay Ma’am ng P120,000, pambili nung lupa. Sa pagtayo ng bahay, nasa P800,000 ang nanggaling sa ipon ko at yung P2 million galing kay ma’am,” Dayan said.
Dayan said De Lima was also a beneficiary of a Starex and Fortuner from Eastern Visayas drug lord Kerwin Espinosa whom the former justice secretary called as “engineer.”
Dayan said he did not even know Espinosa was a drug lord.
“Si Kerwin Espinosa, hindi ko nga alam na drug lord nung nag-aabutan kami. Ang alam ko dun, engineer siya. Kaya sabi ko ito siguro yung engineer na sinasabi ni Ma’am. Pero ang sabi ni Ma’am, may nabigay pa nga ng Starex sa kaniya, isang engineer daw,” Dayan said.
“Sabi ko sa kaniya, ‘Bago na naman iyung sasakyan ninyo, Ma’am, ha?’ Ang sagot niya, ‘oo, bigay ng… supporters ko.’ Tapos may bago siyang Fortuner na puti, nung tinanong ko, sabi niya ay bigay ni engineer iyan,” he added.
Dayan testified in Thursday’s House inquiry a day after Espinosa testified at the Senate which conducted an inquiry into the killing of the latter’s father, Albuera mayor Rolando Espinosa.
Dayan has said he gave drug money from Espinosa for De Lima at least five times in 2014. Espinosa said he gave De Lima at least P8 million in 2015 for the justice secretary’s senatorial campaign.
READ: ‘She even thanked me’: Kerwin claims De Lima aware of delivered money | Dayan admits delivering Kerwin’s money to De Lima
Dayan was arrested in La Union 11:30 a.m. Tuesday after he was cited in contempt for snubbing the House of Representatives inquiry on the proliferation of drugs at the New Bilibid Prisons implicating De Lima.
READ: Ronnie Dayan arrested in La Union
During the turnover by the police to the House of Representatives Tuesday night, Dayan admitted receiving drug kickbacks from Espinosa for De Lima, an allegation De Lima said was a lie.
READ: Dayan admits delivering Kerwin’s money to De Lima | Dayan tells De Lima: Stay strong
Bilibid inmates who testified in the House inquiry tagged Dayan as the one who allegedly collected millions of kickbacks for De Lima from the drug trade for her senatorial campaign.
READ: House cites Ronnie Dayan in contempt; arrest order out
De Lima has vehemently denied the allegation, pointing out that allies of President Duterte had an ax to grind against her since she had 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 but said both of them were separated from their marriages at the time. De Lima has also expressed fear Dayan might be forced to testify against her. CBB/rga
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