Dare to De Lima: Clear name, show up in house probe

Oriental Mindoro Rep. Reynaldo Umali, leading the investigation on alleged drug operations inside the national penitentiary dared Senator Leila de Lima on Sunday to testify to clear her name.

"If she really wants to clear her name and help government stop the proliferation of illegal drugs not just in the NBP but also in the entire country, then she may wish to appear in our next hearing instead of casting aspersions on the integrity of our probe through media," he said.


Crime lords who were convicted have appeared on the inquiry by the House of Representatives Committee on Justice this week and said that they sold illegal drugs from behind bars since 2013 to help then Justice Secretary de Lima raise funds for her senatorial campaign.

De Lima refused to show up in the hearings and said the witnesses' statements are "perjured".

"May I ask?: Does she expect angels to squeal?" said Umali, who chairs the House justice committee.

"We summoned witnesses who have first hand-knowledge of the illegal activities in prison. Who else can they be but convicted criminals themselves?" he added.

The House probe started after De Lima led a Senate hearing to investigate extrajudicial killings linked to President Duterte's war on drugs.MJM

SOURCE: ABS-CBN News

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