Senator Leila de Lima said Tuesday that the alleged evidence
implicating her in the illegal drug trade are nothing but “fake,” just like
Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II’s wig.
“Secretary Aguirre’s alleged evidence against me is like his
toupee, his wig – fake and cosmetics only. There is nothing into it other than
that. Nothing's authentic,” De Lima said in a statement.
“What is real, however, are the killings. What is tragic is that
these killings continue unabated,” De Lima, a staunch critic of President
Rodrigo Duterte, added.
Responding to De Lima's tirade, Aguirre said the senator seemed
to be running out of reasons to refute the accusations against her.
"Nauubusan na ata ng katwiran si Secretary De Lima. Bukod
sa baluktot na mga pahayag niya nitong mga nakaraan ngayon wala na, she's
resorting to (attacking) personalities," Aguirre told reporters.
Aguirre said he could take the criticisms against him but De
Lima must substantiate her claim that the government coerced, tortured, and
coached witnesses to turn against her.
"Pero kahit katiting wala siyang ebidensya na ipinapakita.
Alam mo Senator, ina-allege mo na fake ang aming witness pero nasaan ang proof
mo? Nothing. Nada. Zilch. Zero," he said.
Aguirre earlier said they are in possession of “direct evidence”
that would prove De Lima received drug payoffs to fund her senatorial
campaign.
In a House committee hearing, Aguirre presented several inmates
as witnesses tagging De Lima in illegal drug operations inside the New Bilibid
Prison (NBP) during her term as secretary of the Department of Justice
(DOJ).
Aguirre had also said that the DOJ “have sufficient evidence for
probable cause.”
But De Lima said the DOJ should instead focus its efforts on
investigating syndicates allegedly forcing minors into drug pushing.
“The criminals, including these so-called vigilantes, are
getting bolder; while the victims are getting younger. Some 20,584 minors have
reportedly been exploited into drug use and peddling,” she said.
“At this point, the Justice Department should instead focus its
efforts in investigating and prosecuting the syndicates -- the real culprits --
who force these minors to go into drug pushing,” she added.
De Lima had initiated a Senate probe on extrajudicial killings
and summary executions amid the Duterte administration’s war on drugs. — RSJ, GMA News
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