De Lima's ex-clerk denies bank account: Why use my nickname?

MANILA, Philippines — A former staff member of Sen. Leila de Lima denied owning the questionable bank account where, as documents show, P24-million deposit was deposited in 2014.

Edna "Bogs" Obuyes, who was clerk to De Lima when she was still Justice secretary, said she was surprised when she was summoned to Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre's office and confronted with documents on alleged bank transactions to her name.

"Laking gulat ko na ang inihain sa harapan ko ay BDO bank receipt amounting P24 million for the month of March and April 2014, kalakip ng mga pictures namin ni Senator De Lima," Obuyes said on Thursday night on her Facebook account.

A bank document obtained by The STAR from a DOJ source showed that a total of P24 million in cash was deposited in a bank account under the name of Bogs C. Obuyes that year.

Copies of the bank transactions were distributed to journalists yesterday. STAR

Obuyes, a contractual government employee, said she would not have used her nickname "Bogs" in opening a bank account.

"Yung time na 'yan (2014) nasa CHR pa po ko. At ang pangalan ko do'n ay 'Bogs C. Obuyes,' na imposible ko namang gamitin 'yun dahil nickname ko lang po 'yun," Obuyes said.

The Department of Justice said Obuyes is one of its witnesses against De Lima in its investigation against her alleged links to the illegal drug trade.

Obuyes also denied making a statement against her former employer.

"Ang laman ng statement ko po ay puro pagtatanggi na walang katotohanan ang lahat. Pero bakit ang lumalabas ay against Sen. De Lima na ang statement ko," she wrote.

Aguirre, meanwhile, said on Friday that the leaked bank transaction documents were only premature information and among those being considered as evidence in the agency's case build-up against the senator.

READ: Aguirre says P24-M DOJ deposits are premature info

"Bineberipika pa namin 'yan dahil ayaw naming makuryente," Aguirre told radio dzMM. — Camille Diola