Sen. Leila M. de Lima yesterday maintained that she is innocent against accusations she is a protector and coddler of big time drug lords and rejected President Duterte’s call for her to resign.
“That really crossed my mind but after much reflection, at this point, will be an admission of guilt and a sign of weakness. And I’m neither weak or guilty,” De Lima told reporters in an interview hours after the President delivered his scathing remarks against the senator.
Duterte has scored De Lima for spearheading a Senate investigation into the purported spate of extrajudicial killings in line with his campaign against illegal drugs, publicizing that her alleged love affair with her driver, Ronnie Dayan, has led her to shield some of the biggest drug operators inside the New Bilibid Prison in Muntinlupa City.
Last week, the President released a copy of a matrix that supposedly illustrates De Lima’s involvement in the illegal drug trade. De Lima, in response, vehemently denied the allegations.
The House of Representatives has also scheduled its own inquiry into the alleged drug trade in the NBP and has invited de Lima to appear at the probe.
But De Lima repeated she won’t come to the House probe, saying she knows she would only be publicly humiliated.
“Why should I when I know nothing would happen in that probe? I’m addressed guilty already by the President,” De Lima said. (Hannah L. Torregoza)