Leila de Lima had been secretary of justice. The case involves the president, drug dealers, and hundreds of deaths in less than two months.
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While De Lima has publicly responded at least twice since Duterte’s public shaming, the senator only categorically denied the allegations on Friday, August 19. A couple of days after the president branded her “an immoral woman” and a “robber” for using drug money to fund her election campaign, senatorial candidate Sandra Cam has alleged that de Lima’s driver and alleged lover, Ronnie Palisoc Dayan, collected about 5m Philippine peso (£82,090, $107,668) every week from drug criminals in the country. “It’s so foul. I did not expect the president to do that”.
The killings have alarmed human rights advocates, with De Lima set to hold a legislative inquiry next week.
Pabillo urged all those concerned to cooperate in the investigation in order to put an end to extrajudicial killings in the government’s campaign against the narcotics trade.
Minority Leader Ralph Recto said he did not believe De Lima was involved in illegal drugs.
“While I really do not know who’s going to come here for that, I am going to whack him in the head”, he said in the profanity-laced speech. “If I was lying, you can change me”, Duterte said, adding: “She [de Lima] has scandal at the CHR, scandal at DOJ and she’s talking about family”.
“President Duterte gave premium to personal attacks over real arguments, and appealed to prejudices rather than discourse”. The president said he had witnesses who would testify against the senator, including her “driver lover”.
“(There were) some snippets of truth”, she said. He said that this lady lawmaker even paid for a house for this married man – making her an adulterer.
He said he trusted Mr. Duterte.
They said the probe would ensure transparency and accountability in the government to restore the public’s trust in governmental institutions.
She added she did not want to engage the public by answering all the allegations, but hinted that she could call for another press conference before the Senate hearing on extra-judicial killings next week.
“We have received intelligence information that at least eight hardcore drug lords continue working their businesses inside [Bilibid] through the past few years [on] De Lima’s watch”.
It will be recalled that, unlike the Senate, the initiative to investigate the rash of extrajudicial killings marring the anti-drugs campaign was aborted in the House.
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Aside from Alvarez, Fariñas and Acop, the resolution was signed by Batangas Rep. Raneo Abu, Rizal Rep. John R. Duavit, Davao City Rep. Karlo Alexie Nograles, Quezon Rep. Danilo Suarez, Iloilo Rep.
