MANILA — After her tumultuous debut in the legislature, Sen. Leila de Lima on Friday expressed hope for a peaceful personal life, a reformed leader, and an enlightened public amid divisiveness over the administration’s controversial policies.
De Lima has had to face a firestorm in her first six months in the Senate, accused of receiving drug money from the illegal trade by no less than the President and members of his administration.
“I wish for an atmosphere of truth-telling and accordingly those who lied and testified against me be stricken with conscience. I wish for a serene personal life, free from hypocrisies and betrayals,” De Lima told the Inquirer in a text message.
Her personal affairs have been laid out in public, after her romance with ex-driver and bodyguard Ronnie Dayan, said to also be involved in the drugs racket, was scrutinized in deep detail in a House of Representatives inquiry.
Several high-profile inmates and self-confessed drug lord Kerwin Espinosa also testified against De Lima in separate House and Senate inquiries, claiming to have given drug money to the then Justice Secretary to support her electoral campaign.
In a text message, De Lima also wished for the change of heart of President Duterte, among her chief accusers, amid his all-out campaign against illegal drugs. More than 6,000 have died since the President took office in July, more than 2,000 of whom were slain in police anti-drug operations.
“I wish for the President to regain a sense of morality, and compassion for the poor who remain victims of his drug war,” De Lima said.
“I wish for the deliverance of this country from killings, lies, deceptions, and manipulations,” she added.
De Lima also expressed hope for discernment among the President’s supporters, who have heavily criticized her in social media.
“I wish enlightenment for his supporters, and the realization that the way forward for this country is not more hate and bloodshed, but love and understanding for our neighbors,” she said.
“I wish for a people turning away from the evil of fear and hatred, and going back to the God of love and charity,” she said.
De Lima has repeatedly denied the allegations, saying they were part of efforts to discredit her amid her criticism of the President’s war on drugs and his human rights record.
Facing several cases at the Department of Justice, De Lima has welcomed the charges filed against her, saying it would be her chance to defend herself at the right venue. CDG/rga