De Lima suspects phone bugging: Am I a terrorist?

MANILA, Philippines — Sen. Leila de Lima on Thursday confronted some of President Rodrigo Duterte's closest allies with questions on the anti-wiretapping law on suspicion that her cellphone has long been bugged.

At the Senate hearing on the problem of illegal drugs, De Lima told Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II and Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Director General Ronald dela Rosa that someone might be listening in to her personal communications seemingly without any compelling reason to do so.

"Kasi ako 'pag may nagsabi na sa 'kin matagal nang na-tap ang aking mga cellphone," De Lima said.

"So what legitimate purpose is being served kung gano'n? Terrorist ho ba ako? O dahil sinasabi ng iba na coddler ako, 'yun ho ba ang purpose kung bakit tina-tap ang mga cellphones ko ngayon?" she added.

Duterte and Aguirre last month accused De Lima of having links with drug lords inside the New Bilibid Prison where various contraband are found in a series of raids led by the Department of Justice.

Duterte also claimed De Lima had an illicit relationship with her former driver, who was receiving drug money for her during the campaign period.

De Lima, a former Justice secretary, denied the accusations as an "absolute lie," but said they contain "snippets of the truth." The senator, the most outspoken critic of Duterte's war on drugs and perceived extrajudicial killings, denied her links to the illegal drug trade.

On Thursday, De Lima said that while she may have been a victim of wiretapping, she only shrugs it off.

"May mga nagsasabi sa'kin matagal nang tapped 'yan, but my attitude always is, 'I don't care. Why should I care about that?' Pwede nilang pakinggan lahat 'yan. Anyway, I'm not the one violating the law. I'm not the one violating the rights of others," she said.

A human rights lawyer, De Lima said that in amending the existing anti-wiretapping law, lawmakers and security personnel should strike a "healthy, good balance" between respecting the privacy of individuals and enhancing the effectiveness of enforcement.

"Our zeal to strengthen our law enforcement our capabilities ay nakakalimutan po natin ang mga karapatan, especially the rights of privacy na wala na hong legitimate purpose 'yung paggamit ng wiretapping na 'to kung hindi tama ang paggamit ng batas," De Lima said.

PNP chief suspects his phone is tapped

Dela Rosa, who was present at the hearing, answered De Lima's inquiry by saying he also suspects being under surveillance.

"Your honor, I am also suspecting that my cellphone is being tapped. We are in the same boat," Dela Rosa said.

His statement was met with laughter in the room, including that of De Lima. "If that is true, Director General Dela Rosa, assuming totoo rin po 'yan na naka-tap rin po ang inyong cellphones, sino ho kaya ang gagawa no'n?" De Lima asked.

Dela Rosa said foreign agents have long had the technology to tap into individuals' communications from a distance.

"The technology, we have no control over the technology. Meron tayong mga foreigners na may technology na gano'n, wala tayong control dahil sa ganyan," he said.

Sen. Panfilo Lacson later asked the Dela Rosa and National Bureau of Investigation Director Dante Gierran if the two agencies have the capability to wiretap. Both said no. — Camille Diola