Dayan recounts ‘breakup’ with De Lima

Ronnie Dayan, Sen. Leila de Lima’s former driver and boyfriend, on Thursday detailed the events leading to his breakup with his former boss.

During the resumption of the congressional probe on drug proliferation at the national penitentiary, Dayan said his relationship with De Lima was on the rocks before 2015, especially when he found out about the senator’s alleged new boyfriend Warren Cristobal.

In August, President Rodrigo Duterte said a certain “Warren” was De Lima’s new lover. The senator confirmed that Warren was part of her security detail but what she called a “very malicious” accusation of a romance between them.

“Bago pumasok ‘yung 2015 nagkakalabuan na kami ni Ma’am. Kesyo hindi na daw kami masaya sa pagsasama namin, lagi kaming bangayan, at laging nag-aaway kami. Kaya nung nabalitaan ko na ‘yung isang hagad niya, na ang pangalan ay Warren Cristobal, ang bagong boyfriend niya, parang nasampal ko siya ng bahagya si Ma’am. Sabi ko, ‘Uubusin mo yata kaming mga security mo ah,'” Dayan said in his affidavit.

READ: Duterte: ‘Warren’ is De Lima’s new lover

After their misunderstanding, Dayan said he seldom showed up at the Department of Justice and decided to temporarily stay in his hometown of Pangasinan. He said De Lima asked him to go back to Manila and supposedly forced him to resign.

“Tapos nagtext siya ‘pumunta ka sa Maynila, may pipirmahan ka. Kasi hindi ka pumapasok sumusweldo ka,’ sabi niya. Sabi ko, ‘isang beses lang akong sumweldo nitong January, nung 15 lang. Nung 30 hindi na ako sumuweldo. Wala nang pumasok sa ATM ko.’ Kasi sa ATM ang suwelduhan namin. Tapos, nung pumunta ako, resignation na,” he said.

“Sabi ko kay Ma’am ‘pinagre-resign mo na ako na parang nagpapalipas lang ako ng sama ng loob sa Pangasinan.’ Nakakahiya kasi, at saka tama na ito para iwas gulo.’ Okay, para wala na nga talagang gulo. Ayaw ko ng gulo,’ sabi ko. Pinirmahan ko ‘yung resignation letter mga katapusan ng February 2015–kumbaga pinuwersa niya akong magresign,” Dayan added.

Both Dayan and De Lima have confirmed their relationship, which Dayan said started when he was hired as driver-bodyguard in 2007.

Dayan claimed he transacted for De Lima and received drug money from confessed drug lord Kerwin Espinosa to fund the former justice secretary’s senatorial campaign. The senator repeatedly denied the allegations. CDG

READ: De Lima: Dayan separated from wife during affair