Senator De Lima said, evidence against me are “fake. Bogus. Manufactured. Fabricated. Perjured”
The controversial Senator Leila de Lima is still not contended of the statements she once issued after the address of President Rodrigo Duterte in public that she is linked, and worse a protector, of drug lords inside the New Bilibid Prison in Muntinlupa City.
Speaking before a news conference on Saturday (Aug. 20), de Lima said she is willing to step down of her position as a member of the senate if she is proven guilty of the allegations.
She said she is “willing to resign, willing to be shot in front of the President” if drug allegations hurled against her are proven true.
She said that as early as a week after the May 9 elections, she had received information that prisoners from the New Bilibid Prison in Muntinlupa City were being asked to sign statements linking her to the illegal drug trade.
While there were no takers at the time, she said she would not be surprised if they have already found a drug lord who is willing to speak against her.
De Lima said she is confident of her innocence, saying President Rodrigo Duterte received only fake and fabricated information linking her to illegal drugs.
“Kung saka-sakali mang meron na po kayong ebidensya tungkol diyan, sinasabi ko na po sa inyo na ang ebidensya na ‘yan ay hindi totoo. Fake. Bogus. Manufactured. Fabricated. Perjured,” De Lima said, addressing Duterte.
De Lima also cast doubt on Duterte’s list of politicians whom he linked to drugs.
She pointed out that if they were able to fabricate evidence against her, they could have done the same to the mayors and police officials that Duterte had accused of dealing with drugs.
“Kung kaya nila mag-imbento ng ganyang mga kuwento about my alleged involvement sa drugs, baka naman sa mga so-called list na ‘yun…napakaposible po na ilan dun mga inosente pala at may nagturo lang sa kanila,” De Lima said.
De Lima told Duterte to carefully peruse the evidence. “Suriin nang mabuti and evidence…ayaw kong kayo ang mapahiya,” De Lima said. “I’m pretty confident. I will stand by my innocence,” she added.
De Lima also said Duterte will only be embarrassed if he will insist on saying she is a protector of drug lords. “Kung sino man ang nagsu-supply niyan, pwede ho ba harapin niyo na sila ngayon at pilitin niyo na silang magpakatotoo sa inyo dahil kayo ho ang masisira. Maybe not now, but in the very near future,” De Lima said.
She called on the President to closely examine the information he received.