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BY Prince Golez, Manila Reporter
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MANILA – Sen. Leila de Lima defended her act of walking out as “my best way of expression of protest.”
Criticized by her colleagues for allegedly concealing a witness’ kidnapping case, de Lima again walked out during the recent probe on the spate of killings of drug suspects.
“That’s my best expression of protest, my best way of expressing my protest, of the things happening. Hindi ko na po nagustuhan,” said the former Justice secretary.
“[H]indi naman ako yung tao na basta ko na lang gagawin ‘yun na walang dahilan.”
The senator first walked out of the Senate Session Hall last September in the middle of a colleague’s privilege speech directed at her.
She was accused of using the Senate Committee on Justice and Human Rights investigating extrajudicial killings to destroy the image of President Rodrigo Duterte.
De Lima previously chaired the justice panel until the Senate voted to oust her and declare the committee vacant.
“I was being… hindi na nila ako pinapakinggan. So what’s the point of staying there? To be further crucified by them? I was clearly outnumbered,” she said referring to Monday’s hearing.
De Lima reiterated that witness Edgar Matobato already mentioned the kidnap for ransom case filed against by the wife of Sali Makdum, alleged international terrorist.
She said she wanted the senators to apologize for the oversight but to no avail.
Meanwhile, de Lima apologized for her “outburst,” saying she had no choice but to just leave.
“[P]asensya na kayo dun… sa pag-walk out ko, hangga’t maaari hindi dapat ho talaga ‘yan ginagawa, pero humihingi rin po ako ng paumanhin, humihingi po ako ng pag-unawa na wala na rin po akong choice kagabi. It’s too much already,” she added./PN
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