What should have been a serious inquiry in aid of legislation at the House of Representatives on the alleged drug trade turned into a jeering match involving star witness Ronnie Dayan, the alleged bagman and lover of Senator Leila de Lima.
As Dayan read out his affidavit during Thursday’s hearing, the audience, lawmakers and police jeered as Dayan recounted his breakup with De Lima due to another alleged boyfriend named “Warren.”
Philippine National Police (PNP) Director General Roland “Bato” dela Rosa was noticeably flushed with laughter, scratching his head and slapping his palm on his face as the crowd jeered Dayan.
Reactions of “Aaaw” and “Ayiiii” reverberated in the room as Dayan told the story of how his affair with De Lima developed in 2007 until their breakup in 2015.
Majority Leader Ilocos Norte Rep. Rudy Fariñas added fuel to the fire when he asked Dayan to describe the level of his passion with De Lima.
As Dayan recounted the times he received kickbacks from alleged Eastern Visayas drug lord Kerwin Espinosa for De Lima, Fariñas took the opportunity to zero in on the details of the affair.
“Nung panahong yan, malakas pa pag-iibigan niyo o humina na?” Fariñas said.
(During that time, was your love for each other still strong or did it weaken?)
“Medyo signal number one na po sir,” Dayan responded, to the jeers of the audience.
(It’s only the same level as a signal number one storm.)
READ: Dayan recounts ‘breakup’ with De Lima
Fariñas then asked the extent of their relationship, and Dayan said his passion for De Lima reached up to “signal number five.”
“Umabot din siguro ng signal number five, sir,” Dayan said. Dela Rosa slumped to his seat laughing with his palms on his face.
(It probably reached up to a signal number five storm.)
Deputy Speaker Capiz Rep. Fredenil Castro was next in the interpellation and took from Fariñas’ line of questioning to ask about the details of Dayan’s and De Lima’s affair.
“Ginoong Dayan, sa inyong relasyon ni Senadora, masasabi mo bang ang iyong pag-ibig ay tapat, wagas at dalisay?” Castro said.
(Mr. Dayan, about your relationship with the senator, would you say that your love for each other was honest, pure and true?)
Eliciting guffaws from the audience, Dayan answered: “Ang pag-ibig ko na tapat ay di isinukli.”
(My love that was honest was not reciprocated.)
When Castro asked him if he would be willing to let go of his love for De Lima,
Dayan said: “Alang alang sa batas, sa katotohanan, kaya ko siyang ipagkanulo.”
(Pursuant to the law, to the truth, I am willing to betray my love for her.)
Asked why he acted as bagman for De Lima despite knowing that he was dealing with an alleged drug lord (Espinosa), Dayan said: “Nagawa ko po yan dahil sa pagmamahal ko sa kaniya.”
(I only did that out of my love for her.)
Castro finished his interpellation when he asked Dayan if the latter transacted for De Lima in exchange for “init ng katawan” (bodily desires), to which Dayan reluctantly said no.
“Hindi ko alam na delikado makipagkita kay Kerwin (I didn’t know then that it was dangerous to deal with Kerwin),” Dayan said.
Dayan had admitted delivering money from Espinosa to De Lima amid their romantic relationship.
Dayan said he gave drug money from Espinosa to De Lima at least five times in 2014. Espinosa however 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 Prison implicating De Lima. CDG/rga
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