Ex-aide says De Lima ordered him five times to encash checks
A former security aide of Senator Leila De Lima said he was ordered to encash checks worth P100,000 to P300,000 by the latter when she was justice secretary.
Romel Falcasantos made this testimony during the last day of the House of Representatives inquiry in aid of legislation Monday on the proliferation of drugs in the New Bilibid Prison.
Falcasantos, who served as De Lima’s security personnel from 2013 to 2016, said at the start of the 2016 presidential elections, he was ordered by De Lima to encash checks five times at the Metro Bank-Dr. A. Santos Branch in Sucat.
Falcasantos said the checks ranged from P100,000 to P300,000.
“Noong nagsimula ang 2016 presidential election period, ay nag-issue ng authorization, endorsement ni Ma’am De Lima para ako ay makapag-encash ng kanyang bank check sa kanyang banko sa Metrobank-Dr. A Santos Branch sa Sucat Branch,” Falcasantos said.
“May maka-limang beses akong napakisuyuan ni Ma’am De Lima na mag-encash ng check doon. Hindi ko na po matandaan kung magkano ang amount na aking na-encash kada transaksyon pero ang pinakamababang halaga ng check na aking na-encash ay P100,000 at pinakamalaking halaga ay P300,000,” he added.
Article continues after this advertisementFalcasantos added that De Lima also gave authorization to two other security aides Warren Cristobal and Mark Adricula to encash the checks. Cristobal was said to be De Lima’s boyfriend.
Article continues after this advertisementFalcasantos said he does not know who issued the cash checks.
“Hindi ko po alam kasi sobre lang po ang inaabot sa akin ni Ma’am De Lima kung saan nasa loob ang bank check. Hindi ko po iyon binubuksan at inaabot na lamang ito sa Metrobank,” Falcasantos said.
He said after encashing the check, he would give the cash in an envelope to Cristobal and a certain Joebert Erni, also a security aide, who would in turn hand the money to De Lima.
Witnesses in the hearing pointed at De Lima as earning millions of drug payola from the illegal drug trade inside the Bilibid. Inmates pointed at Jaybee Sebastian as De Lima’s favored drug lord, a label Sebastian in his testimony vehemently denied.
Sebastian however said De Lima was his protector in the drug trade. He admitted to raising P10 million campaign funds for De Lima from the sale of shabu.
READ: Sebastian denies being De Lima’s ‘favored’ drug lord | Sebastian: De Lima was my protector in Bilibid drug trade
RELATED VIDEO
