Ronnie Dayan granted immunity from suit

A copy of the immunity grant for Ronnie Dayan.

Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez has granted the request of Sen. Leila de Lima’s former driver and boyfriend Ronnie Dayan to have immunity from suit for his testimony in the House justice committee probe into drug proliferation at the national penitentiary.

“Upon the recommendation of the Committee on Justice pursuant to Section 4 of R.A. 6981, that your testimony is needed in the legislative investigation, in aid of legislation, in regard to House Resolution No. 105… I hereby grant approval for your admission, with your express consent, to the Witness Protection, Security and Benefit Act,” Alvarez wrote.

Under Section 12 of the said act, Dayan is entitled to immunity from “any and all criminal prosecution for the offense or offenses in which your testimony will be given or used and all the rights and benefits provided under Section 8 of the same law.”

“Provided that you shall tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth in the said legislative investigation,” Alvarez added.

Before Dayan read his sworn affidavit, deputy speaker Fred Castro moved to ask Alvarez to grant Dayan’s request for immunity.

Dayan faced the congressional inquiry on Thursday after being arrested in La Union last Tuesday. He was cited in contempt for snubbing the previous hearings.

Dayan claimed to have given drug money to De Lima from confessed drug lord Kerwin Espinosa several times in 2014. De Lima, who is being accused of coddling drug lords and receiving payoffs for her senatorial campaign, has vehemently denied the allegations. CDG/rga