De Lima: Am ready to face arrest but not a ‘kangaroo’ court

Senator Leila De Lima INQUIRER FILE PHOTO / RICHARD A. REYES

Senator Leila de Lima said she is ready to face any case that would be filed against her or a possible arrest but not the investigation of the House of Representatives, which she described as a “kangaroo” court.

De Lima reiterated that she does not recognize the House probe into her alleged involvement in illegal drugs, saying it had no other objective but to humiliate her.

READ: De Lima calls House probe ‘Duterte’s kangaroo court’

“So in other words, I’m just being consistent with my defiance vis-a-vis the so-called House inquiry na alam ko naman from the very start na panghihiya lang naman sa akin (which I know from the very start aims to humiliate me). That’s plain and simple kangaroo court so I’m just being consistent,’ she said in an interview at the Senate.

“In any case, kung ano man ang mga plano (whatever their plan is) whether it’s a show-cause, whether it’s arrest, whether it’s ethics complaint, whether it’s a case with the regular court or a case with the Supreme Court, hihintayin ko na lang po yan (I would await it) and I will refer that to my legal team at saka lang po kami mag-aano ng karampatang aksyon dyan kung ano ang sagot dyan, kung ano ang gagawin dyan (and we would take the corresponding action to answer it).”

“But certainly I will not face them, certainly I will not honor that show-cause,” De Lima said.

The House has issued a show-cause order against the senator for allegedly advising her former driver and partner Ronnie Dayan not to appear before its investigation.

And if she refuses to honor the show-cause order, Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez said he might be forced to issue an arrest order against her.

READ: Speaker won’t let go of De Lima, presses contempt charge

De Lima, however, denied any obstruction of justice as she would rather call it “obstruction of persecution.”

“That’s not obstruction of justice, obstruction of persecution. At anong justice ang sinasabi nila? Wala naman akong nakikitang justice dyan sa proceedings nila yan? Hindi naman nila ako binibigyan ng justice. Wala namang makatarungan sa ginagawa nila sa akin (What justice are they talking about? I couldn’t see any justice in their proceedings. They didn’t give my any justice. There’s no justice in what they are doing to me). So why call it obstruction of justice?” she asked.

“Mas maganda ang itawag natin dyan (It would be better called the) obstruction of persecution. I’m trying to obstruct the acts of persecution being done to me by this administration,” she added.

The senator also denied ordering Dayan not to attend the House probe, saying she merely gave an advice.

“Anong utos (What order)? I stand by my advice. It was an advice and I stand by it . Hindi po yun utos, advice (It wasn’t an order but an advice),” De Lima said. RAM/rga

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