De Lima may have tried to use me to gain sympathy, says Marcelino

Former Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDAE) intelligence officer, Marine Lt. Col. Ferdinand Marcelino claimed that Senator Leila de Lima may have tried to use him to gain sympathy from people.

According to him, she should have asked permission from him before showing the text messages he sent to his “mistah.”

“On the aspect na pwede naman siyang magpaalam sa akin pero hindi siya nagpaalan, pwede po. I mean pwede she tried to use me,” Marcelino said.

He emphasized that nobody pressured him to speak ill of De Lima. He said that he was even surprised when the senator disclosed to the media his text messages.

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“Nobody pressured or coerced me to speak against Sen. De Lima. As a matter of fact, in her press conferences showing those privilege exchanges of communication between me and my classmates, I did not give any consent to her neither did she approach me or call me to ask permission if she can show it to the media that’s why I was surprised,” he added.

“If I will be summoned on any forum at the Senate or Congress or any inquiry I am only on the side of truth.”

He also shared what he discussed with the senator during her visit when he was still detained. He said that he explained his case to De Lima, hoping that she could help his release as she was then the justice secretary.

“I said ma’am you know very well that I’ve been working with you, kasama niyo kong nagtatrabaho,” he said.

In January this year, the Department of Justice investigated a complaint filed by the Philippine National Police-Anti Illegal Drugs Group (PNP-AIDG) and PDEA, against Marcelino. He was arrested during a drug raid at a shabu laboratory. Ultimately, the criminal report was dismissed.

“In my own little way as an ordinary person, iyung tingin ko po eh yung sinasabi nila eh mula naman talaga sa kanila,” he said regarding the testimonies of the witnesses from the Bilibid.

Marcelino has already filed a motion to quah his drug case that was reopened, and as well as his arrest order.

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