[av_one_full first min_height=” vertical_alignment=” space=” custom_margin=” margin=’0px’ padding=’0px’ border=” border_color=” radius=’0px’ background_color=” src=” background_position=’top left’ background_repeat=’no-repeat’ animation=”]
[av_heading heading=’Explain ‘undue influence’ over Dayan, de Lima told’ tag=’h3′ style=’blockquote modern-quote’ size=” subheading_active=’subheading_below’ subheading_size=’15’ padding=’10’ color=” custom_font=”]
BY PRINCE GOLEZ
[/av_heading]
[av_textblock size=” font_color=” color=”]
MANILA – Sen. Leila de Lima was ordered to explain why she should not be cited for contempt for allegedly telling a former driver-bodyguard to skip the House inquiry into the drug trade at the New Bilibid Prison.
The House of Representatives on Tuesday served a show-cause order for de Lima at the office of Senate secretary Lutgardo Barbo.
“In this regard, you are hereby ordered to explain, within 72 hours from receipt of this Order, why you should not be cited in contempt for exerting undue influence to Mr. Ronnie Dayan, a witness subpoenaed by the Committee, and for directing said witness to defy a valid coercive process issued by the Committee, thereby causing undue interference in the conduct of its proceedings during the hearings where his attendance was required,” the order dated Nov. 29 stated.
But de Lima stressed she is “not honoring” the show-cause order.
“I am not recognizing the jurisdiction of that House (justice) committee over me,” she told reporters on Tuesday. “So if I receive that (order), I will just refer it to the Senate through the Senate president. That is my plan.”
Already cited for contempt, Dayan was arrested in La Union last week, forcing him to face the congressional probe, where he admitted getting money from alleged Eastern Visayas drug lord Kerwin Espinosa for de Lima.
Several drug convicts at the Bilibid have also claimed they funded the senatorial bid of the then Justice secretary in the May elections.
Failure or refusal to comply with the order will cause her being cited for contempt, the House committee on justice, led by Reynaldo Umali as chair, warned de Lima.
‘KANGAROO COURT’
De Lima described the House justice committee a “kangaroo court.”
According to the former Justice secretary, the “whole point” of the congressional inquiry was to link her to the drug trade.
“Talaga namang ang pakay ng kangaroo court na iyan ang ituro ako na isang alleged drug coddler, drug protector, drug beneficiary,” she said. “Nakita naman natin na lahat ng mga so-called witnesses ay nagsisinungaling sa puntong tinuturo nila ako na kasama diyan sa drug trade.”
The senator said she is willing to accept the consequences of defying the House committee./PN
[/av_textblock]
[/av_one_full]
