De Lima on reported suicide: Fake news to condition public’s mind

Sen. Leila de Lima—MARIANNE BERMUDEZ/INQUIRER FILE PHOTO

Fake news meant to condition the public’s mind.

This was how Senator Leila de Lima described reports that she had attempted to commit suicide inside her detention facility.

“These fake ‘alternative fact’ news are making the rounds and being encouraged by (President Rodrigo) Duterte’s lapdogs, such as Speaker (Pantaleon) Alvarez, in order to condition the minds of the people that the worst can happen to me while in detention at the PNP (Philippine National Police) Custodial Center without any fault of the Duterte regime because I supposedly already lost my mind after my arrest,” De Lima said.

Alvarez’s earlier claimed that she should have been brought to a mental facility instead of the custodial center.

The senator was arrested and detained at the PNPCC last February 24 for her alleged involvement in illegal drugs when she was Justice secretary.

De Lima said that she continues to work as a Senator regardless of the limitations, “however, because of these fake news as reinforced by Duterte’s sycophants and lapdogs in government and social media, I no longer feel secure in detention, despite being guarded by the PNP Custodial Unit here in Camp Crame,” she said.

She cited the killing of radio broadcaster Jun Pala, a vocal critic of the then Davao City mayor, and said that Duterte has the capacity to assassinate his political opponents as revealed by his Davao Death Squad right-hand man, SPO3 Arturo Lascañas.

READ: Duterte ordered killing of Jun Pala—confessed DDS leader

“If I die inside Duterte’s prisons it is not because I committed suicide, but it is because the President has finally ordered me killed. In the unfortunate event that I die in prison, you all know who my murderer is,” she said.

READ: De Lima says Duterte a ‘murderer’ capable of having her killed

The fake news sites claimed that the senator tried to end her life inside her detention cell and was briefly hospitalized at the PNP General Hospital which is also inside Camp Crame.

“Wala po akong sakit, at buo ang aking pag-iisip. Kaya po walang dahilan na ako ay mamatay sa sakit o magpatiwakal dahil sa lungkot,” De Lima clarified.

(I am not sick, and my mind is working well. There is no reason for me to die of sickness or commit suicide because of depression.)

“Inaasam ko pa po na masaksihan ang pagharap ng rehimeng ito sa Dambana ng Hustisya, at ang kasunod nito ay ang pagbibigay hustisya sa libo-libong mahihirap nating kababayan na kanilang walang-awang pinagpapatay nang walang paglilitis,” she added.
(I still wish to see that this regime be brought to the halls of justice and the recompense for the thousands of poor Filipinos who were killed without the benefit of a trial.) IDL