DAVAO City–President Duterte yesterday released early a “matrix” which indicated the alleged links of Sen. Leila de Lima to drug personalities inside the New Bilibid Prison (NBP).
The media obtained a copy of the “matrix” outside the President’s home at Dona Luisa Village here after he held a press conference.
The document shows the alleged relationship of de Lima, who was former chair of Commission on Human Rights and secretary of Justice, to “drug personalities,” namely: Ronnie P. Dayan, Raul Sison, Rep. Amado T. Espino, Raffy Baraan, former Justice Undersecretary Toti Baraan, and Gen. Franklin Bucayo.
It was not disclosed how the President got the information in the matrix.
De Lima’s alleged boyfriend Dayan was her driver since her stint at the CHR who is later known as “Boss De Lima” or the “case fixer” of some well-known politicians in Urbiztondo, Pangasinan.
The document also indicated that Dayan’s properties such as house and lot, a Montero and a Kia Sedan were allegedly titled to a certain Ms. Cardenosa, who is working for the local government of Urbiztondo.
It indicated that Dayan had allegedly been receiving monthly payola from retired Gen. Bucayo, the former director of the Police Regional Office (PRO) 1, through a certain SPO1 Palisoc.
Soon after retirement, Gen. Bucayo was appointed chief of the Bureau of Correction (Bucor) but he resigned after his name was dragged into illegal drugs inside Bucor.
The matrix showed he allegedly acted as the broker between Rep. Espino and de Lima.
Espino, a former governor of Pangasinan and now congressman of the province’s fifth district, was slapped with a plunder case due to his alleged involvement in illegal mining, but was freed on bail.
It also showed that Sison claimed Espino, the richest politician in Northern Luzon, runs a black sand mining, quarrying and jueteng.
It also showed that former supervisor at the Bucor and Justice Undersecretary Francisco “Toti” Baraan’s brother Raffy Baraan is a loyal follower.
Raffy, who was Pangasinan provincial administrator, was dismissed by the Ombudsman after his involvement in the black sand mining and quarrying business of Espino.
It said Raffy has knowledge on all illegal activities of Espino.
De Lima laughed off Duterte’s allegations, and described the so-called drug matrix as worthless.
“As I have often said, I will not dignify any further this so-called drug matrix which, any ordinary lawyer knows too well, properly belongs to the garbage can,” de Lima told reporters.
De Lima said she was amused by how Duterte, who released the matrix, is bent on linking her to the illegal drug trade, calling the accusations “a joke.”
“Was it a joke? Like most of his jokes before, this latest one he will surely regret. But yes, please amuse me at how his men have desperately tried to link me with the ‘Muntinlupa Connection’ flick,” de Lima said.
Holding a copy of the matrix, de Lima said it looked rushed and had grammatical errors.
She said all arrows in the matrix seemed to point to former Pangasinan governor and now Pangasinan Rep. Espino.
“Are they trying to say that Gov. Espino is my boss? I had Espino investigated at NBI (National Bureau of Investigation) when I was DOJ (Department of Justice) Secretary. It was dismissed at preliminary investigation level then and now they will say we’re in cahoots?” De Lima said.
“This whole madness is almost laughable,” she said, noting that she has not even met the congressman personally. (antonio colina IV of mindanews, and pna)
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