2018 will be ‘happy’ if Duterte resigns – De Lima

President Rodrigo Duterte and Senator Leila de Lima. (INQUIRER FILE PHOTOS)

The year 2018 would be merrier if President Rodrigo Duterte would step down from his post, detained Senator Leila de Lima said on Friday.

“I don’t know what would be happy this year; maybe kung mag-resign na siya magiging happy ako,” De Lima said in a chance interview at the Quezon City Metropolitan Trial Court.

“Gusto ko sanang batiin ng ‘Happy New Year!’ kaya lang gaya ng sabi ko sa latest dispatch ko noong jsang araw, hindi happy ang 2018 dahil sa mga balak nila na baguhin ang saligang batas,” she also said.

The senator appeared before the QCMTC Branch 34 hearing on the disobedience to summons filed against her by House leaders.

Oriental Mindoro Rep. Reynaldo Umali, chairman of the House committee on justice, took the witness stand as De Lima’s counsel cross-examined him.

Umali, Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez, and House Majority Leader Rodolfo Fariñas were the complainants in the disobedience case.

They alleged that De Lima advised and induced her former aide, Ronnie Dayan, from appearing in the House hearings. Dayan later showed up in the congressional inquiry, and testified on the drug-related accusations against De Lima.       /kga