Palace ‘in panic mode’ after Senate votes to probe Duterte—De Lima

Senator Leila De Lima. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO/GRIG C. MONTEGRANDE

Senator Leila De Lima said Malacañang was in a “panic mode” that it called some of her colleagues after majority of them voted in a caucus Tuesday to proceed with the Senate probe on the President’s alleged links to the so-called Davao Death Squad (DDS).

“We know for a fact na may mga pinatawag kagabi sa Palasyo (that there were senators called to the Palace last night),” De Lima told reporters on Wednesday, citing information that she received. But she said she was not privy to information on who were the senators called to the Palace.

Asked if there were efforts to stop the probe on confessed DDS leader retired SPO3 Arturo Lascañas’ allegations that President Rodrigo Duterte paid the group to kill criminals when he was mayor of Davao City, the senator said: “Oh yes they are in a panic mode.”

De Lima noted that after Lascañas’ allegations, Duterte was silent just like when confessed DDS member Edgar Matobato made the same accusation against the President.

“Tahimik na naman just like kay Matobato dahil alam nya (Duterte) totoo yan (He’s silent again just like during [the testimony of] Matobato because he knows it’s true). (Lascaña’s allegations were) very damaging kaya panic mode sila (so they are in panic mode),” she said.

The senator said Duterte’s allies were probably caught by surprise when they lost in the voting during the caucus.

Ten senators, including de Lima and her party mates in the Liberal Party, voted to proceed with the Senate probe while eight (not seven as earlier reported,) voted against it. Four reportedly abstained from voting.

READ: 10 senators vote to proceed with probe on Duterte’s DDS ‘ties’

“They did not expect that the voting would turn out that way sa tingin ko, nagulat sila na natalo sila (I think they were surprised that they lost). Nagulat sila na may ilan ilan sa kanila na mga expected na bomoto with them against the hearing on Lascañas pero nag-abstained instead kaya panic mode sila (They were shocked that that some senators, who they expected to vote with them against the hearing on Lascañas, abstained instead so they are in a panic mode),” De Lima said.

But she warned those who are planning to change their votes, saying it would not look good on them and even on the Senate as an institution.

“It won’t look good, it would really look bad on who would be flip-flopping, on those who would be changing their minds and on the Senate as an institution. Ibig sabihin, kwestyonable pala ang independence ng Senado na ito (That means the independence of this Senate is questionable),” she added. RAM