De Lima urged to stand firm in face of ‘clear harassment’

THE POLITICALLY influential Roman Catholic church as well as a Liberal Party stalwart in the House of Representatives came to embattled Senator Leila de Lima’s defense Saturday, urging her to stand firm amid what they said was clear harassment from President Rodrigo Duterte’s partymates.

Ifugao Rep. Teddy Baguilat branded as illogical and improper House Resolution No. 105 that seeks to look into de Lima’s culpability in the drug trade inside the National Bilibid Prison during her time as justice secretary.

He said the House majority and minority leaders appeared to be ganging up on the senator, who has been at the receiving end of President Duterte’s tirade and allegations that she slept with her driver who also acted as her bagman in drug payoffs.

Witch hunt

“This proposed investigation in fact reeks of harassment and various Constitutional violations as it seeks to spend people’s money on a witch hunt, forgetting that the role of Congress is primarily to make laws, not look for criminal evidence, which is an Executive function,” Baguilat said.

He noted that the probe would be taken up by the House committee on public order and safety just when de Lima would kick off her own Senate inquiry on the spate of drug-related killings on Monday.

Baguilat said that he did not see the creation of a new simply by looking into the culpability of past officials.

Outrageous

This was the same argument ironically raised against Baguilat’s House probe on extra-judicial killings raised by Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez, who had said that no new law would come out of a House investigation into whether the killings were justified or not. Alvarez was one one of the signatories of HR 105.

“Obviously the proposed investigation, which singles out Senator de Lima, wants to discredit the ongoing investigation at the Senate on drug-related killings. It is outrageous that the leadership of the House of Representatives would allow this venerable institution to be used as a political weapon,” he said.

Baguilat said that the lawmakers “singled out” de Lima as the culprit for the proliferation of drug related activities at the NBP by concluding that the convicted drug lords took control of the maximum prison facility during the former Justice Secretary’s term.

Address root of problem

But he said any investigation must address the root of the drug problem rather than targeting specific officials. He noted that as early as 2009, during the term of then President Arroyo, corruption was already reported at the NBP, including the construction of houses and the conduct of various businesses by then-inmate Romeo Jalosjos.

Baguilat argued that it was de Lima herself who led the raid on NBP in December 2014, which uncovered a make-shift shabu laboratory, cash, jewelry, high powered firearms, and luxury cells inside
the NBP.

Meanwhile, Fr. Atiliano Fajardo, a crusading priest and convenor of the Huwag Kang Papatay (Thou Shall Not Kill) movement, reminded de Lima to be strong amid the
attacks. TVJ