SEN. Leila de Lima yesterday took a swipe at President Duterte for changing his tune about the leadership capability of former senator Ferdinand Marcos Jr. — from previously saying he was a “weak leader” and igniting rumors that he was a cocaine addict, and now praising him.
“Duterte is now singing him praises. Why? Because he is panicking to kiss the feet of the man he thinks will replace him. Now that Duterte’s crimes against me and the Filipinos are revealed as his term comes to an end, he is vulnerable,” De Lima said in a statement.
In a tweet on Saturday, De Lima sneered at the President and said he should review his law after he said the senator will be “pardoned” once Vice President Leni Robredo wins the presidential election.
“You don’t pardon an innocent accused (me) and one not convicted yet. Pardon is only for felons like the witnesses he coerced to falsely testify against me. Akala ko ba abogado si Duterte? (I thought Duterte is a lawyer?),” De Lima had said in her Twitter account.
In a taped interview with Pastor Apollo Quiboloy aired last Friday, Duterte said that should Robredo win the presidential race, she can be expected to grant pardon to De Lima and self-confessed drug lord Kerwin Espinosa, who recanted his accusations that the lawmaker was involved in the illegal drugs trade.
Espinosa has likewise taken back his previous statement that he gave the senator P8 million to fund her senatorial run in 2016.
Duterte, in the same interview, also said that former Bureau of Prisons officer-in-charge Rafael Ragos was paid to recant his allegations against De Lima.
“Walang tao na pumunta sa korte to swear nothing but the truth, tapos mag recant ng ganon-ganon after a few years. Pera-pera ‘yan, may ano ‘yan (Nobody will appear in court and swear [to tell] nothing but the truth and then recant after a few years. It’s all about money. There’s something there),” Duterte said.
De Lima took exception to Duterte’s statements, saying it was the President who has the power to coerce or bribe Ragos to falsely testify against her.
“Sa akin at kay Duterte, sino ang nasa puwesto para suhulan o takutin ang mga testigo sa pekeng kaso laban sa akin? (Who is in the best position between me and Duterte to bribe or threaten the witnesses in the fake cases against me?),” she asked.
“It is Duterte and his servant (former justice secretary Vitaliano) Aguirre who have the money and power to threaten anyone just to perpetuate the lies that led to my detention.
And they did just that in order to get the courts to have me arrested for false charges,” she added.
